A New Team
by Couch Potato
Summary: It's been 17 years since the last world tournament and the Bladebreakers have have their own families. But what happens when a letter for a reunion comes? Chaos of course. Kinda an OC story (revolves around original's kids), working progress.
1. Invites and Decisions

Okay here is my second fic for anyone who wants to read it.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own beyblade cause if I did then this would be on the TV and not on-line, where no one will probably read it.

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Chapter 1: Invitations and Decisions

"Lyra, we've been over this... no staying out after midnight," Lyra's father said, his crimson eyes relieved, and disappointed at the same time. He had been worrying non-stop for the last half hour. "If you've got a valid excuse before hand then you're supposed to call. That's why you have a cell phone."

"I'm sorry father," she answered remorsefully. Lyra had heard from an older maid, that when he was younger, Kai Hiwatari had been quite a rule breaker and had next to no regards for them, or even other people.

_If that was ever the case then dad sure has changed in the past 17 years..._ Lyra thought to herself. _Why is he so strict with me? _They always said that he was distant and cold to very nearly everyone.

Of course she'd witnessed this coldness on many occasions and didn't doubt it for a second. She'd even experienced it one or two times, but she had a gift of being able to brush it off and make him relax, even if she was the only one who could.

"You can go to bed now. I'll see you tomorrow at quarter past noon," he gave the dismal. She hung her head and bade him goodnight. She heard him murmur something as she closed the door to his study. _I think I really did it this time..._ she thought as she navigated her way through the enormous mansion to her bedroom.

She collapsed onto the scarlet covered mattress. She lay there for a few minutes before she sat up and looked at her alarm clock. The red numbers flashed 12:48. _I guess it is a little late._ Her gaze swept around the lilac colored room.

She sighed and set her dad's old beyblade, Dranzer, on the bedside table. He had given it to her when she could first hold a launcher. Since then he had helped her to master the power of the phoenix.

Getting up she changed into her pajamas and went into the bathroom to brush her teeth. Her eyes caught the side of the mirror where there was a picture of her mother. She studied it like she did every night. _Dad's right I do look a lot like her. Except my eye's... they're the same as my dad's. And my hair, _she thought looking closely at the silver haired woman with lavender eyes.

It was true. She had her mom's cheeks, chin, jaw, ears, lips, nose, and even eyebrows, which were a shiny, metallic silver color. Her eyes were the same crimson color that her dad's were. Her hair was light blue bangs and darker blue as it fell past her shoulders and halfway down her back. The darker part was naturally streaked with light blue.

With a sigh she tossed her hair over her shoulder and walked back into her bedroom. Slipping under the sheets and comforters she fell asleep instantly.

--------

Lyra slowly opened her eyes, blinking to clear them of sleep. She yawned and looked at the alarm clock. She bolted up in bed as she read the glowing digits.

11:59. _Shit! I'm sooo in trouble, and after last night! I'm just on a role lately!_ She thought as she shot out of bed and sprinted into the bathroom and took a quick, 2-minute shower before throwing on her clothes and slipped Dranzer into her pocket. She crept out of her room, shutting the door silently.

She walked quickly and quietly to her dad's study, hoping that she wasn't late. She looked at her watch. 12:13. She gave a small smile to herself. _Alright! And with two minutes to spare!_ She thought gleefully slipping into the room. She walked over to the desk and sat on one of the heavily padded armchairs.

The door opened and her dad walked into the room. She turned and looked around the back of the chair. He was studying an envelope with his two-tone, slate colored hair covering his face.

"Good morning, dad," Lyra said happily, ignoring the reason why she was here.

"Hn..." was his only reply. He sat down behind his desk, opening the letter. Lyra sat silently, studying her father's face. His curious expression changed into one of slight surprise, before his neutral mask settled into place.

"What is it dad?" Lyra asked, concerned.

"Remember the stories I told you? About when I was younger and on a world class beyblading team?" Kai asked his daughter. She nodded. "Well this letter says that there's going to be a reunion party, you know like a high school or college reunion. I'm debating weather we should go... It's scheduled for next Sunday night." He looked at the note pensively.

"Wait a minute... we? And Sunday? It's already Wednesday! Not much notice," she asked. _This is getting very interesting._

"I know, and yes, we. It's for former world class beybladers and their wives and children. But obviously it will only be you and me..." he said with a small pang of sadness. Lyra sighed.

"Dad it was 15 years ago. Let it go! I mean you have me and I'll always be there when you need me," she said reasonably. She knew that her dad knew this. _And that's why he's so protective of you,_ she thought to herself. Now it was he father's turn to sigh.

"I know. Anyway, I'm still debating if we should go," he said almost teasingly. He knew that his daughter wanted to go more then anything, finally meet all of her father's friends, whom she knew practically everything about, thanks to him. "I mean, after last night I'm not sure if I want to let you do anything that could be considered fun. If I were to go alone then you'd only leave the house to hang out with your friends, if I brought you along then the possibility of having fun is almost guaranteed. If I stayed here with you then I could maintain close watch on you, and restrict your fun..."

"Oh come on! Can't you just forget about this, just once? I personally think that you'd really regret not going, and not taking me with you."

"I forgot about it last time, and the time before. You're not getting disciplined enough! You can't be late unless you call me and I know that you're going to be late! We've gone over this more then a million times, not including last night! This has got to stop happening!" Kai said, looking slightly angered and annoyed. Even so a smile tugged the corner of his mouth at his daughter's attempt to get out of her punishment._ Just like her mother, tries to charm her way out of everything._

"Yeah but, wont it be nice to see all of your old friends? I mean it's been over 17 years! You have to be the slightest bit eager to see them."

He wouldn't admit it, but it would be quite... interesting to meet up with his old team again._ I really wonder how- I mean- what they've been doing. They'd probably think that I've gone soft and have gotten weak. Then again... maybe I shouldn't go._

"Well you do have until Saturday to make a decision." She reasoned, again. "You really should go. They'll all be really surprised how much you've changed, who cares what they think. I mean, right?" she asked, as if cuing into his very thoughts.

_She does have a point. Since when have you cared what Tyson or the others thought of you? And you are soft, to Lyra at least, no point in denying it. Other then that, you haven't changed that much! _Kai argued with himself internally for a while. "Go and I'll consider considering it. I have to think."

Lyra blinked. _Well I was expecting a lecture in the least from him, not just talk about an out-of-country trip. Well it's kind of good that he got sidetracked. Road trip! No groundation! Hopefully, at the least._ She looked at her watch 1:30. _Jeez, it hasn't really been over an hour has it? Well time flies when you don't know what you're doing... I guess it's true. I should really eat something._

_--------_

"Hey dad, mom! I'm back, and you got a letter!" a young man called from the front door. He looked to be about 16 and had short raven colored hair, with a red bandana tied around his head. "It's from..." his golden eyes scanned the return address, "The Beyblade Battle Association."

"Bring it in here Randy!" he heard his mom call from the sitting room. With a shrug the boy studied the plain white envelope as he walked down the hall and went into the room where his parents were sitting.

"To Mr. and Mrs. Kon," He said, handing the note to his dad and took a seat in the armchair across from the coffee chair from them both. He watched his dad open the note and read it with his mom reading it over his shoulder while running her hands through her long, vivid pink hair, though it wasn't nearly as long as his dad's was.

"Hmm... what do you think Ray?" his mom asked after a minute.

"Well, I don't see why not Mariah. How'd you feel about taking a trip to Japan, Randy? For a few days?" his dad asked him. The boy's eyes went wide.

"Japan? Really? Why?" he asked, getting excited.

"Well it has been a while since I've talked to either Kenny, Max or Tyson, you know? My old beyblading team?" Randy nodded remembering the countless stories he'd heard about his dad's youth. "Well the BBA is hosting a big reunion party. All of the old teams are getting together and you could finally meet everyone. Tyson has a son just older then you, as does Max. I think I remember Kenny saying he has a daughter about your age. I haven't the slightest idea about Kai... I haven't seen nor heard from him in over 17 years."

"Cool, are we going? When is it? How long are we staying?" Randy asked, not taking a breath. He's never even been out side of his town, yet alone out of the country. Ray chuckled at his son's excitement.

"It's this Sunday night and pack enough clothes for a week," he said. Randy gave a whoop and bolted out of the room to pack his clothes, even though they didn't have to leave for another three days. "That boy has too much energy sometimes."

"If I remember right, you were like that when you got excited too," Mariah said to her lover.

"Maybe... It'll be good to see everyone again, don't you think? I haven't seen any of the guys in a few years. I wonder if Kai'll be there... I haven't seen or heard from him since the last world championships," Ray pondered.

"Yeah, It'll be good to see Kevin, Lee, and Gary again, too," Mariah agreed.

"Yeah it will," Ray wrapped his arm around the woman next to him.

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"Maxie, what would you say about going to Japan?" Miriam asked her husband.

"I don't know, sounds cool, why?" Max asked the blue haired woman who was leaning over the counter.

"Oh we just got a letter. There's a reunion for ex-beybladers and their families this Sunday. I think we should go," she continued.

"It would be great seeing everyone again! I think we should go, too," Max said.

"Go where?" A 17-year-old boy entered the room. He was pretty tall and had blue streaked blond hair with jade eyes. "What's up, 'rents?" he asked sliding his headphones from his ears to neck.

"Go to Japan, Camryn. There's a big reunion for all ex-beybladers and your father and I thought we should all go," Miriam answered.

"Hey, I remember the those stories you used to tell me. I've worked so hard, and I've finally mastered your Draciel, dad! I'm pretty good!" he said showing interest. "Are we going to go? To Japan, I mean."

Camryn's parents looked at each other and nodded at the same time. "Yes, we will," Miriam said. "We're leaving in two days, you might want to pack today or tomorrow." Cam nodded and started to leave the room.

"I can't wait! This is going to be awesome!"

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"Hey Chief! You've got mail!" A female voice came from the black laptop sitting on the desktop. The brunette shot up out of bed. Grabbing his glasses from the bedside table he shoved them onto his face and stumbled out of bed. _Hmm, Emily's already be up,_ he though, looking at the other half of the bed, which was empty.

"Who's it from Dizzi?" Kenny asked his computer, sinking into the desk chair.

"The BBA. Give me a second and- there! It's loaded!" Kenny read the popup. His eyes widened (does he even have any?). Getting dressed he walked out to the kitchen.

"Finally up I see?" he looked over at his wife.

"Morning Emily," he said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Dad, what was the e-mail about?" Kenny turned to his 16-year-old daughter, Kendra. She smiled sheepishly, brushing her auburn bangs out of her face. "I over heard Dizzi on my way by."

"Oh. Well there's a beyblade reunion on Sunday in town. All of the old world class teams are invited," he said. Emily smiled.

"So that's the 'big event' Hilary was going on about all yesterday. Her, Tyson and their son, Takeshi, are all going. I personally think that it'll be fun to see everyone again. Especially the other All-Stars," Emily commented. Kendra's green eyes sparkled.

"I can meet the rest of your old team dad? And yours, mom?" she asked. She'd heard all about the adventures that the Bladebreakers had, and memorized all of their data that Dizzi had stored. She was quite impressed with it.

"Yeah, though I'm not sure on Kai. No one's seen or heard of him in 17 years," Kenny though out loud.

"Well we'll just have to wait and see," Emily put in.

"Indeed we will," Kenny confirmed. 

--------

Lyra looked down at her plate. She pushed the little food she had left around her plate. It was already Friday and her father still hadn't made a decision about going to Japan. Things weren't looking too good at the moment.

"So, dad what did you do today?" she broke the silence. She really wanted to ask if they were going to his reunion, but she dodged around it.

"Not much, how about yourself?" Kai asked his daughter.

"Same, not much to do being stuck around the house," she replied.

Kai Hiwatari raised an eyebrow. "Not much to do? You are truly spoiled. Here we are, living in a mansion, in which more then half of the rooms are for entertainment purposes, and you say that there isn't 'much to do'?"

"It's your fault that I'm spoiled! Plus, I'm at the age when hanging around with my friends is fun, not playing billiards or training by myself. You used to get into tons of trouble!"

"Maybe, but the key phrase is 'used to'. Not anymore, and we aren't talking about me and my youth. We're talking about you and your concepts of fun. You were late, and now you're on groundation for it."

Lyra sighed. _This is definitely not looking good for the trip... dammit!_ Kai noticed the putout look that crossed his daughter's face. _Maybe I should just tell her._

"Well, I've been thinking about the reunion and..." Lyra looked up at her dad, waiting. "I think it'd be quite interesting if we went." His daughter's face lit up with a bright smile.

"Really?! Yes!" she ignored her table manners and stood up, wrapping her arms around her dad. "Thank you! Thank you, thank you! Woo hoo! I'm going to Japan! When are we leaving?"

"Tomorrow at 12 o'clock. Our plane will arrive in Bakuten at 2:30 (A/N: I'm just making up times). We check into the hotel at 3 or 3:30," he told her.

"I gotta go pack! This is going to be wicked!" Lyra bolted from the room. _I wonder where she got all of her energy from?_

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Well, that's a start. Kai is slightly OC towards Lyra.


	2. In Bakuten

Okay new chapter. Not much happenin here. Anyways...

DISCLAIMER: Me **&** Beyblade = In my dreams; Me **&** OC's **&** Storyline = mine.

**--W-I-T-H-O-U-T--F-U-R-T-H-E-R--A-D-O--** (Did I spell that wrong?)

Chapter 2: In Bakuten

"Estimated landing time is 5 minutes. Please buckle your seatbelts and move your chair into an up right position. Thank you for flying, have a nice day."

Lyra jerked her headphones off of her head. _I'm actually in Japan! How cool is this?_ She felt the plane touch down and stop.

"Come on," her dad ordered, standing up and starting out of the plane. Lyra jumped up and followed him.

_Okay, so it's a horrible day._ She reflected looking out the window. It was poring non-stop._ But it's a horrible day here in Bakuten! Not Russia, not at home!_ She thought looking out the windows as she followed her father down to the bag pickup area.

It was only a few minutes before her dad's bag came down the conveyer belt. Lyra sighed. "Why does your bag always come first? Do you rig the machines or something?" she accused.

"Don't be ridicules! It just likes me better..." As they argued Lyra failed to notice her bag go by until her father pointed at it. She gave a loud sigh, punching her dad in the arm.

"It's all your fault!" she growled, turning to follow the bag down the belt. Every time she got close enough to get it someone moved into her way. She looked over her shoulder and gave her dad one of his very own death glares. _And I've learned from the best._ He smirked and mouthed 'bathroom' before turning and walking off. She turned back around and saw her bag about to go around the last bend and back into the storage room. _Oh, there is no way I'm waiting another 20 minutes just to get my bag._

Lyra cut off to the right and jumped onto the belt. Ignoring the stares of strangers, she started to walk after it. It was turning the corner just as she got to it. Leaning down she grabbed the strap and went to jump down but her strap was stuck._ Just perfect!_ She pulled repeatedly at the bag but it wouldn't bulge.

Bracing herself, on the part that wasn't rotating, Lyra yanked at the bag, hard. The strap came free, but she had tugged too hard and was thrown off balance just as a boy, slightly older then her, was walking by. They both went down, landing with Lyra on top of him. With a gasp she quickly crawled off of him.

"Oh my god! I am sooo sorry! Are you okay?" she asked, sitting next to him on the floor.

"Yeah, mostly. I'm just winded," he said, sitting up. Leaning forward he shook his head. His black hair was held up with a red bandana and he had a pair of tan Khaki's with a blue T-shirt.

"I'm really sorry. I mean my bag was stuck one moment and then the next it wasn't. I didn't really have time to react..." Lyra said, climbing to her feet and swinging the bag over her shoulder. She reached out her hand and the boy took it. He was about an inch and a half taller then her. Golden eyes met crimson. _Wow! He's so hot!_ She thought to herself.

"I-I'm Randy, Randy Kon," the boy-Randy- said, staring at her. _She's very pretty._

"Lyra," she said with a small smile. "So, your plane just get in?" she asked, starting off towards the stairs. _Kon... where have I heard that before? Come on Lyra! Think! _

"Yup, I came here with my parents. They're taking their time getting off the plane. We're going to be in town for a few days," Randy said, walking in step beside her and carrying his bag in one hand.

"Really? My dad and me are too. We just got in also. What are you here for?"

"For my parents, they have a reunion, We're staying at a friend of my dad's who lives in town, whom will also be at the reunion," he answered.

"An ex-beybladeing reunion?" she guessed.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" he asked. It clicked together in her head. _Kon! Ray Kon... is Randy his son? Must be._

"Me and my dad are here for that... hey there he is! Well I should be off, we need to check into the hotel," Lyra explained.

"Oh, okay, my parents are coming anyway. Hey! Maybe we'll meet again there," he said.

"Yeah, maybe we will... well, see ya," she said hesitantly.

"See you later," he said with a small wave before starting off to the gateway.

"Hey dad, we going or what?" she called, walking over to her father. "Come on! We want to check in today, don't we?"

"Come on then, brat," Kai said, leading the way out of the airport.

"Gee, love ya too, dad," she muttered, following him.

"I know you do," he said. _How does he do that? I bet he could hear a pin drop in here._ They exited and Kai waved over a taxi. They got in and within 15 minutes they were at a big, 8 story hotel.

Lyra followed her father to the check-in counter and waited patiently until he got a room. Taking one of the card keys he handed it to her and they walked over to the elevator. "So, dad... what're we doing tonight? Anything special or are we just going to relax?" she asked as the door slid shut behind them.

"I'm going to rent a car, you're either coming with me or staying _in_ the hotel." He emphasized 'in'.

"Sooo... what kinda car we talking about? I'm thinking a Corvette," Lyra named her favorite car.

"Too pricey. I'm going with whatever they have that's looks decent and runs well," Kai answered.

"Oh, you're so boring!" she retorted. "If you're going to take the time and spend the money then you can at least get a nice car," she continued as the elevator stopped on the eighth floor. Lyra followed her father out and down the hall.

"Well maybe cars aren't everything for me. We just need one that'll get us from point A to point B, without any problems." He stopped outside the door at the end of the hall and put the card key into the slot before pulling it out. The light flashed green and he opened the door. Lyra whistled softly.

Off to the left there was a small kitchen area with a stove, sink and refrigerator. Across from it was a rather elegant bathroom with a wide shower/tub and a mirror that ran from the counter to the ceiling.

Past both of those rooms was a living room with a wide screen TV, a couch, two armchairs and a glass coffee table. There were two doors at opposite ends of the room, each leading to a separate bedroom with a queen sized bed, desk, dresser and bedside table with a lamp and an alarm clock.

Lyra went into the lilac colored bedroom on the right and her father went to the royal blue one on the left side. After tossing her duffle bag onto her violet covered bed she walked back into the living room and grabbed the remote to see what channels they got. Kai came out of his room 15 minutes later.

"How much are we paying for this place? Because, personally, it's not a hotel room, it's an apartment. Scratch that, it's a fully furnished apartment," she asked her dad. Kai raised an eyebrow.

"I'm paying 59 dollars per night for this room," was the reply. (A/N: Yes, we're in Japan, and, yes, we're using American currency, any problems with that?)

"For this? That's a sell out! This room is huge," Lyra commented.

"It's not bad."

"Compared to our rooms at home, maybe. Can we get pizza? I'm getting hungry."

"Hn... fine," Kai replied after a moment.

"Jeez, don't be too happy," Lyra ordered.

"Don't worry, I wont."

"Oh, guess what? I met a boy at the airport by the name of Randy Kon."

"Kon? As in Ray Kon?" Kai inquired.

"I don't know but he said that he was here for the reunion and, come on, how many ex-world class beybladers have the last name Kon?" she received a scowl from her father after the last comment. She smiled innocently at him.

"Shut-up," he snapped. Her smile grew.

"Sooo... you gonna order the pizza?"

"No, you can handle it. You want it so bad."

Lyra gave a defeated sigh and picked up the phone from the coffee table. _What's that number? ...Just type any three. Hmmm... 4-8-2. That works. _She heard ringing.

{{"Hello?"}} asked a voice that sounded way to young to be an employee.

{{"Whoops, sorry! Wrong number."

"Okay. Wanna talk to my mom?"

"Yeah, sure..."}} Lyra waited for a minute before an older voice said hello. {{"Um, hi. I was gonna call room service but I realized that I didn't know the number so I decided the 'trial and error' method. I guess its just luck I got your room."

"Well the number should be in a little book next to the phone. I believe it's 0-0-0."

"Shoulda figured. Well hey thanks."

"Sure.

"Buh-bye."

"Bye."}}

She heard the click of the phone being hung up. Her dad raised a single slate colored eyebrow at her. "What? It was the wrong number."

"So you just carried on a conversation?"

"Why not? The lady was nice enough."

Her father rolled his eyes. She picked up the phone again and dialed 0-0-0. It was the right number this time. She finished with her order and hung up. "It'll be about 15 minutes."

"Huzzah," Kai replied dryly.

"I thought you'd feel that way. After we eat we can go get a nice car and go shopping. I need some new accessories." She giggled at the distraught look that crossed her father's face. "Don't worry I'll take it easy."

"Who says that we're going to go shopping?"

"Me, and it makes no sense not to if we're going to be out anyway, even if we only end up looking around. Please daddy dearest? Pretty please?" Lyra gave him a puppy dog look that completely annulated Max's.

"Grr..." he wanted to say no but then he made the mistake of looking her in the face. "Tch. Fine." He answered in annoyance. _Stupid look. No person on earth can resist it. Maybe._

"I thought so! This is going to be fun." A few minutes later their food arrived. "Pizza should be served everywhere, you know? Even at, like, five star restaurants." Lyra said after her first bite. Kai ignored his daughter. "Can I have some money? I'll go to the vending machine down the hall and get two sodas."

She received her father's wallet on her lap as a reply. She sighed and got two drinks, a Sprite for her and a Coke for her father then rushed back to the room before her pizza could get cold. She threw his wallet and the Coke back at her father before sitting down.

"Good! It didn't get cold."

"Well you ran so fast that you were only out of the room for 30 seconds."

"Hey, I didn't want to take any chances. Say, if you call someone on the phone, then the number you dialed is their room number, right?"

"Yes, why?"

"Just wondering..."_ Maybe I should torture dad... hehe. Nah, I can do that tonight. What should I get though? _As she thought they finished their dinner. "That was good."

"Pizza's always good to you," Kai said.

"Yeah, but this pizza was really good," she exaggerated.

"Whatever."

"So now for a nice car. Lets go!" Lyra dragged her father out of the room before he could protest. She made sure that she grabbed his wallet from the coffee table before they shut the door. When they reached the main lobby she shoved her father to the front desk to ask them about a cab.

It was only a five minute wait before one came. They went to a local car dealership where they could rent a car. After 25 minutes of paper work they looked around and Lyra picked out a silver Saturn. Not what she had wanted but it was one of the nicer cars that Kai would go for.

"Why don't you want to spend any money? I mean, it's not like we cant afford to. We have too much of it," Lyra interrogated.

"Because I like to have a lot of money that we don't use in just in case. Okay?"

"Yeah, whatever. Just be prepared to spen some of it cause the next stop is the mall."

"Yay," Kai commented sarcastically.

"I know, I'm just so excited too!" Lyra said being extra cheery to annoy her father. She succeeded. Kai gave a frustrated sigh as he drove onward. _Need to annoy him for not getting a good car. _Getting an idea she grinned evilly. "Are we there yet?" she asked in a purposely whiney voice.

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"How 'bout now? We there?"

"Does it look like we are?"

"I don't know, that's why I asked... are we there yet?"

"No."

"Yet?"

"No."

"Now?"

"Grr, no," Kai snapped. Lyra secretly smiled as she saw his eye twitching. _I am so evil! Hehe. This is fun though._

"Yet?"

"Just look out the window and shut-up! You'll see when we're there."

"........." the car was silent for a few minutes, then-

"...Are we there yet?"

"Yes! Finally!" _Thank god we're here! Though I never thought I'd be saying that for a shopping mall. _Lyra was thinking the same thing as she burst into hysterical laughter a moment later. "Shut-up, brat."

"Lets go then! We didn't come all this way to sit in the car in the parking lot." Lyra opened her door and started towards the entrance, Kai close in persuit. Normally Lyra wasn't one to get excited about a trip to a mall but, having never been to this one, and being confined to her house for a week, she was considerably happy.

When they entered the mall she walked down the long hall, starting at the left side_. Hmm, too girly... yuck, sports. Old peoples stuff,_ she thought walking past a formal clothing store. She inspected a small hobby store, looking at spare parts then moved onto an electronics store where she raided the music section, looking for anything good. She smirked seeing an Xtreme sports store.

Going in she studied the full face, ATV and dirtbiking helmets for a few moments before moving onto the gloves. She stayed here for a few minutes before picking up a pair of blue, silver, white and black ones that matched her on/off road dirtbike, which she could only ride on the trails in the woods by her house.

"Why do you need those?" her father asked.

"My other ones are too small. My goggles cracked three weeks ago, also, so we'll be getting new ones. And of course everything has to match the bike and, therefore, everything else. Then we all live happily ever after. The end."

She heard Kai's frustrated sigh at her 'everything needs to be prefect so I don't go insane' speech, though he had to admit, it was shorter then usual. After another 5 minutes she had found the perfect pair of goggles and purchased them with the gloves. They left the store and moved to the next one where Lyra got a one strap bag, convinced that she couldn't carry all of her little accessories in her pockets and that it was undignified to carry around her duffel bag.

Kai, still annoyed with her from the car ride, didn't feel like arguing with her so he gave in easily. An agonizing two-and-a-half-hours later they were walking back on the opposite side of the hall, Lyra's eyes read each store sign, tiredly, before moving to the next.

_Boring, boring, no point in going there, hell no, never if my life depended on it, boring, boring, bor- wait what?_ Her eyes widened slightly as she stared at the last store before the exit. "Oh need to go there!" she said. She grabbed her fathers arm, ignoring his protests and dragged him, literally, into the pet store.

She looked at all of the animals, holding and petting all the ones she could. "Isn't it cute?" she squeeled, shoving a black mouse into Kai's face. He growled a reply. "Oh you know it is," she scoffed, putting it back into the cage with it's friends. She moved to the last glass, top-less cage and gasped.

She had hit her all time weak spot. Kittens. She gently picked up the closest one to her. It was obviously the runt because it was twice as small as all of the other ones. It was more like a black fuzz ball, for how it was curled up in the corner. When she picked it up it's crimson eyes opened. _Not everyday you see that. I mean, how many cats have crimson eyes?_ She asked herself as she stared at the cat, holding it against her chest.

She turned and saw her father standing there, shaking his head vigoressly. "No. No way."

"Daddy, look at it! It's way cuter then all of the mice! PleasepleasepleasepleasePLEASE!" She gave him her dreaded puppy-dog face. He already knew he had lost when she said daddy instead of dad. That meant that they were getting the cat ot they weren't leaving the store until someone else took it. "It's destined to be with me, look at it's eyes! It's my familar! Please." If it was possable 'the look' intensified 50 times more then it already was.

Kai squeezed his eyes shut. _No! Don't give in! You're being weak._ Slowly he opened his eyes and she was still there. He gave a distressed sigh. "...Fine." he said very reluctantly.

"YesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesYES! Thank-you daddy, thank-you!" she squeeled, hugging her father as tight as she could without hurting her new pet.

"How much for that cat?" Kai asked the young store clerk. She looked about 23 years old.

"Free. All of the cats are, because they're only 6 weeks old and don't have their first shots. It's illegal to charge money for an animal that has no shots," the lady explained.

"Oh. Is it a boy or a girl?"

"Girl."

"Lets go," Kai told his daughter with a short nod to the clerk. He didn't want to spend anymore time in that store in case she saw something else.

"Wait, we need some stuff. Like cat food and litter, duh dad."

"Well then go get it."

Lyra spent a minute to get a small bag of kitty litter and a bag of cat food big enough to last for the however long there stay was. "Does the hotel even allow pets?" she asked her dad as they climbed into the car.

"I don't know."

"Well they're going to have to deal with it. Isn't that right?" she asked the ball of fluff who responded by swatting at her fingers. "A girl, huh? I'll name you Brat, cause that's what you're acting like. And I need someone to call Brat, like dad."

Kai only rolled his eyes. _Why did I ever agree to come here?_

**--T-O--B-E--C-O-N-T-I-N-U-E-D--**

Like I said, not much happening there. I just threw that in to show a little of how Lyra really acts.

You can review if you want, but you don't have to.


	3. And So It Starts

Okay next chapter is up, finally.

DISCLAIMER: Yeah, that's right. I own it all. _coughcough_**choke**not_coughcough_...

Anyways...** rubs sore throat**...

**--O-N-W-A-R-D--**

"Hey babe," Lyra greeted her cat as she flopped down on her bed. The black fuzz ball started to attack Lyra's hair, which was still wet from her earlier shower. "Oh stop it. You're a brat, Brat," Lyra told her kitten as she moved onto attacing her owner's fingers with her tiny paws. It was nearly 10 o'clock and she was starting to get tired. Lyra had found a box with short sides to put some of the cat litter in and two small dishes, one with water and one with food. Her new cat was currently attacking every thing in her sight that moved.

Lyra wiggled her fingers and giggled as Brat sat up on her back legs to swat at her prey. Lyra noticed that she still didn't attack with her claws. She let her head fall to the pillow while still playing with her cat.

Kai was in his room moping since they had gotten back from the mall. _He just doesn't like the fact that I got my way. Dad is so immature sometimes. Not very often, but sometimes._ She pushed her cat lightly and Brat, since she was so small, fell sideways onto the bed. Lyra shut off the light and fell asleep quickly.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

_Why can I barely breathe? My nose is itchy also._ Lyra opened her eyes and saw black fur. Jerking her head back she observed the small ball of fuzz that had, at sometime during the night, moved to sleep right in front of her face. _No wonder I was itchy. _She thought scratching her nose.

Brat picked up her head and looked around now that her source of heat was gone. She yawned and got up and stretched before she sat and looked at her surroundings, yet again. When Brat saw Lyra she walked unsteadily over to her before licking her hand with a tongue that felt like sandpaper.

With an amused smile Lyra scooped up her pet, who fit easily in her palm, and headed out to the living room area. "Hey dad!" she said easily, spreading out over the couch, lightly kicking his leg. He still had sweatpants and a grey T-shirt on, which he slept in.

He gave her a glare, to which she smiled innocently, and got up and moved to an armchair before turning back to the morning news on TV.

Brat inspected her new surroundings from her spot on Lyra's stomach. She scaled the back of the couch and settled up there, closing her eyes in content. Lyra stretched on the couch before sitting up and looking at the time at the bottom corner of the TV.

"Time for breakfast!" she said, heading to the kitchen.

"More like lunch. It's 1:28," her father replied.

"I know, but you can't have lunch until you've had breakfast, which, as _everyone_ knows, is the most important meal of the day. Come on dad, get with the program." She received a glare in return. She retaliated by sticking out her tongue. "You really need to work on your cereal choosing skills also," she informed her father as she took out Cheerios form the cabinet. (A/N: I forgot to mention that they got some food, and that stuff, when they went out shopping. I just didn't really think it up until now because it completes the scene. Anyways.)

She drowned her cereal in milk and grabbed a spoon before making her way back onto the couch. Brat leaned down to sniff Lyra's food before the girl pulled it away and stared eating it. When she was done she put the bowl on the coffee table and let Brat lap up the leftover milk. The little black fur ball purred as she did. Kai only looked on with disapproval.

She went to her room to pick out her clothes for the day. _Hmmm, have to pick out the right ones. Here they are!_ She pulled out a pair of dark blue overalls. _Now for part two... aha! _She pulled out a tight, long sleeved, blue-violet shirt. _Finally... yes! _She pulled out a lavender tank top that had a white cat on it.

The cat was wearing a pair of sunglasses, and had a light blue sweater tied neatly around its neck. Across the top it said 'B.R.A.T' and below it, it said 'Beautiful, Rich, and Talented'. Her dad had gotten it for her last Christmas, claiming that he saw it and thought of her.

She shook her head at the memory and laid it all out. _Perfect!_ She went back into the living room and sat next to her dad. "What time do we have to leave?"

"At about 6:45."

"What? But that's still 4 hours away!"

"So? Go swimming or something."

"Not for 4 hours, surely! I'll be a prune!" At this comment Kai looked over at her with annoyance. She looked back at him seriously.

"Fine. Give yourself a tour of the hotel. Take Fuzz with you," he said turning back to the news, which was now on the weather forecast.

"Fine! Come on Brat! Let's go explore," Lyra picked up her cat, ignoring her father's new nickname for it. She made sure her card key was in her pocket and left the room, shutting the door behind her. "Where to first?" she asked her cat walking down the hall.

She stopped when she saw a snack machine. She gave a small gasp. "Brat!" she said excitedly. "They have Oreos!" Quickly she put 50 cents into the machine and got her snack. "Poor dad!" she said evilly, knowing how he'd react when he found out. She was absolutely obsessed with the cookies and it usually resulted in her being hyper, which is why he hated it when she ate them.

"And he can't even stop me! They're all mine!" she plotted to her cat as they continued down the hall. By now Brat had gotted off Lyra's shoulder and was trotting along at her heels, swatting at her feet as she walked. "Hmm... elevator or stairs? Hmm... stairs it is!" She started down to the next floor. When she got there she walked across the whole thing and back over to the stairs. She continued inspecting each of the floors until she reached the bottom one, with Brat tagging along behind her the whole time.

"Here we go. The good stuff. Come on," she told her cat as she used her card key to get into the exercise room. She spent the next couple of hours testing each machine and seeing how her cat would react to the tread-mill, which didn't go over very well. When she had finished with the bench-press machine she got up and headed toward the door thinking about how bad she needed a shower at the moment.

She decided to jump into the pool at the moment instead. Brat sat near the door and watched her as she ran and leaped into the middle of the pool, fully clothed. She surfaced and swam over to the side. _Nah, I'll swim a couple of laps first. _She decided before she got out. She ended up spending the next hour swimming laps around the pool, ignoring the fact that her pajama's, which was a black t-shirt and a pair of plaid boxers, (A/N: People she does have underwear on underneath them) were completely soaked.

"I feel a lot better," she told her cat as she climbed out of the pool and got a towel from the ladies showering room.

At the elevator she ran smack into something. She looked up and met the icy blue eyes of a man with vivid red hair. He smirked at her wet appearance. "Watch where you're going kid."

"Sorry," Lyra muttered, getting to her feet. A girl about a year older then her appeared from behind the man.

"Well dad maybe if you didn't stand right in front of the elevator bottons then no one will run into you," the girl said. It was already obvious that they were father and daughter because they had the same hair and eyes and looked much alike. "Sorry for him. I'm Chloe. Chloe Valkov." the girl offered her hand and a small smile.

Lyra raised an eyebrow at her surname. "Let me guess... here for a beyblade reunion also?"

"Yeah, how'd you know though?" Chloe asked, eyeing the younger girl closely.

"If I'm not mistaken from my sources... you're Tala Valkov, are you not?" she turned her attention to the older man. He jerked a nod, studing her features carefully. "Thought so. Me and my dad are here for that, too. Actually he was on your father's team too. I'm Lyra, Lyra Hiwatari," she grabbed Chloe's still offered hand. "That's Brat, or Fuzz as my dad's dubbed her," she motioned to her cat who was sitting at her feet.

"Nice to meet you. So what room are you in?" Chloe questioned as she joined them in their wait for the elevator.

"Floor 8, room 23. You?"

"Hmm, same floor room 24."

"Hey, that's right across from my dad's and mine."

"Really? Cool."

There was a beep as the elevator doors opened. The small group piled in and Chloe pressed the botton for floor 8. The two newly arrived people put their bags on the opposite side from the still dripping wet teenager.

"So... why are you so...wet?"

"Oh I've been in the work out room for two hours. Then I decided that I needed to cool off so I jumped into the pool. I just didn't feel like going back to the room to change so I just jumped in." She nodded at her story.

"Sounds exciting," Chloe commented with slight sarcasm.

"Oh it was. Very." There was a metallic cling as the elevator stopped at the top floor and the trio piled out.

Brat walked at Lyra's feet as she walked down the hall to her and her dad's hotel room. She slid the card key into the slot as Chloe did the same arcoss from her.

"See ya," the red head said, dragging her bags into the room followed by her father.

"Yup," Lyra replied as she dissappeared through her own door.

"Finally!" her dad snapped at her. "You do know we're leaving in less then an hour, don't you?"

"Now I do, don't worry. Oh yeah, you look good dad." she commented as she walked passed him into her room. He was wearing simple black dress pants with a short sleeved collared shirt fully buttoned up, over a white turtleneck shirt which covered his neck (nope, no scarf) and his arms. The collar was neatly folded down in an almost professional manor. He had simple black dress shoes on.

Lyra shut the door behind her and got dressed in her previously picked out clothes and slipped her feet into her beloved Etnies. Grabbing her bag she put in her costumary notebook with a pen, a brush and her cell phone. After she took a towel and put it on top of everything before putting Brat in her bag. She hung the flap over the opening instead of zipping it up so her cat could still breathe.

"Okay, ready to go," she informed him going into the main room. She was surprised to see Tala and Chloe sitting on the couch.

"Good, and no, they're not going with us. They'll be leaving a little later," her father answered her un voiced question.

"Oh. Well are we leaving?"

"You just can't wait, can you?"

"Nope."

"Oh, fine. See you later Valkov, mini-Valkov," Kai said with a nod as the two adressed people entered their own room.

"Common! Move already!" Lyra said as she walked quickly down the hall.

"The reunion wont go away just because we weren't there exactally on time."

"Well you can still try," she griped as they got in the elevator. "How long does it take to get there?"

"A half-hour."

"And when does it start?"

"Oh I don't know. About 15 minutes ago."

"WHAT? You mean we're going to be late?"

"It's not like everyone shows up right on time. Besides, it's running until 12:30 tonight. We'll be getting there just after majority of the people."

"Oh, let's just go," Lyra grumbled, sulking out of the elevator.

"Oh zip it Fuzz," Kai ordered as the said cat stuck her head out of the bag and hissed at her mistress's father. They exited the hotel and got into the car. The car ride to the reunion was quiet and boring, in Lyra's oppinion, as she stared out of the window at the scenery flashing by.

"Okay, I believe that there's a sign-in sheet at the enterance, for tally. Put both of us down." Her dad said before he left to park the car.

"Finally!" she slipped through the door and saw that it was already a lot of guests there. _Wow, dad was right. Almost everyone's here already._ A few people looked over at the door as it opened. Many of the adults shook their heads as it was only another teenager.

After a quick scan, Lyra found the sheet and filled in her, her dad, and Brat. She walked around, scanning the whole room. She also studied the pictures on the walls. They were the different teams during all three years of the world championships, each one with it's respected name on the frame. She found one of the Bladebreakers and laughed when she saw how her father was at her age, never seeing a picture of him at that time in his life.

She turned around and bumped into someone, stumbling backwards. A hand flashed out to help steady her. "So... do you like running into people or just me?" a some-what familliar voice asked with amusement. She looked up into Randy's amber eyes.

"Afraid to say, people, not just you," she answered easily.

"Mmm-hmm. Anyways since I've run into you again, want to meet my friends? And all the adults, of course."

"Um... sure. Why not, right?"

"Cool," he lead her through the crowd to the other side of the room. There she reconized eight adults from the pictures she saw and three more kids about her age whom she didn't.

"Mom, dad, this is the girl I ran into yesterday, at the airport."

"I remember you going on about that," Mariah replied. "It's Lyra, isn't it?"

Lyra nodded vigorously. "Yep. That's me. Nice to meet you."

"So who're you here with?" Ray asked.

"My dad, and my cat," she answered, gently taking the black ball of fur out of her bag. "See? Her name's Brat, or, as my dad's dubbed her, Fuzz. He sent me in to sign all three of us in while he parked the car. Actually I don't think he intended for me to sign in my cat but I did anyway. So here I am, all signed-in, and he's still," she shrugged, "parking the car."

The everyone stared at her after her long, but quickly said, answer. "Where's your mom?" the girl her age asked after everything sunk in.

"Oh, she died during my birth. Don't talk about it to dad though, he's still not over her. He says I look like her, except for the hair and the eyes. They're his. See?" she showed them the picture of her mom that she always carried around.

"Sorry," the girl said. "I'm Kendra by the way."

"Lyra. And don't worry about it." she replied, re-pocketing the picture after everyone had seen it.

Kendra nodded. "So where you from? What's your house like?" she asked, wanting to know more about life outside of Japan.

"Oh, I'm from Russia. And my house? It's a mansion, about 30 minutes outside of Moscow. Great-great-great grandfather bought it over a century ago and it's been passed down through the generations. Now, it's my dad's and one day I'll inherit it as well as the billions of dollars, but anyway."

"Bluntly put." Emily was the first to recover from the inital shock.

"So you live in some giant family manor with your dad and cat?" Tyson asked.

"And the servents. Since there's like five floors, and a couple hundred rooms on every floor, they all just sorta live in the place. Saves them the trouble of traveling, you know?"

"Yeah. Um... this is Camryn Tate, or Cam as he prefers. And that's Takeshi Granger," Kendra introduced the two remaining teens.

"And our 'rents," Camryn nodded to all their parents. Lyra smiled. "So, what's your dad like? Who's is he?" Camryn continued.

"Oh he acts all evil, tough, and cold and stuff, but he's really a big softie under it all. And I believe you already know him. Well, you four not personally," the blunette told her peers. "In fact he just came in." She glanced at the door in time to see her dad slip off to the side. "I'll go get him. Be back in a second." They watched as the girl elbowed her way through the crowd, occasionally kicking innocent souls, who were too slow to move out of her way, in the shins.

"We'll... she's certainly... energetic." Hilary commented.

"And funny, mom. You can't forget funny. I mean come on! Who signs their cat in?" Takeshi said almost as fast as the departed girl.

"Hmmm... she said that we know him. And that he has blue hair and red eyes." Max pondered.

"Kai does. And he lives in Russia, at least he did way back when." Kenny pointed out.

"Yeah, but is he filthy rich, lives in a mansion, that he always had, and a softie?" Ray asked.

"Yeah, right! Kai? But seriously, the only people that I know as rich, are the Majestics, and they all live in Europe. It doesn't make any sense." Tyson said. There was a murmer of 'yeahs' from all the adults while the kids just waited for their new friend.

So, naturally, when Lyra returned, leading a tall man with two-toned blue hair and burning crimson eyes, the adults were shocked.

Even with the much shorter hair and lacking of blue face paint they knew who he was.

Semi-cold crimson eyes surveyed the group. Kai's hair was no longer a foot long. Now it was only a couple of inches and still stuck up randomly as if he had wet his hair, put gel in it, and then gone to sleep before it dried.

"Dad, my friends. My friends, Dad." Lyra introduced them all. "I believe you old people already know each other," she said, smiling widely at her new friends-parents reactions. __

_I knew it was worth comming to, _she thought evilly. _This'll be more fun then I thought._

**--T-O--B-E--C-O-N-T-I-N-U-E-D--**

Done!

Sorry about the wait people. I've been getting ready for school, and now that it's actually started my Biology, Economics, and Geometry teacher are obviously the type who hail homework.

Me? I just want to go back in time and brutally murder the person who invented it, _before_ they shared it with anyone else, of course. Maybe taking all A level classes wasn't the best idea. At least Graphic Communications has no homework. Thank god.

Also, last Thursday I started Drivers Education. Just another class with more homework. And hockey starts next month. But I'll have my liscense by the second week of November. And my birthday was last Wednesday. Autumn is just the best time of the year.

Anyways, so yeah. I'm not sure when I can update next so just keep checking. Oh and thanks for your reviews. You can do it again, if you want.


	4. Blackmail, Drug Dealing, and a Surprise

Okay, quick update. I've had this chapter in mind for a while.

DISCLAIMER: Well, I could say that I own Beyblade (though I don't). But then you'd sue me for my 50¢ in pennys that's lying on my desk because they're the only thing worth any value that I have, cuz I'm broke, unlike Lyra (who I _do_ own).

Anyways...

**--M-O-V-I-N-G--O-N--**

Kai saw the look on his old team's faces and smirked. He looked down and saw his daughter's reaction was much the same as his.

The four forgotten teens looked back and forth between the adults, from the faces of their shocked parents to the coldly smirking face of Lyra's dad.

"Let's go get some drinks, eh?" Kendra said to her friends. The kids, including Lyra, all nodded and left rather quickly, leaving all the adults behind to stare.

"KAI!" Tyson blurted out.

"Yes?" the said person asked, retaining the urge to laugh.

"Kai!" Max said.

"That would be my name."

"Kai..." Ray continued his friend's streak.

"What already?"

"You ...when ...why?"

"Me, when, why, WHAT?" Kai's mood was now one of annoyance. "You know, it's a lot easier to answer questions that are voiced in a complete sentence, Kenny." Kai averted his emotionless gaze to the last member of the old Bladebreakers.

"Well we didn't know if you'd be here or not," Hilary said.

"Oh, I'm touched," he said sarcastically, raising his hand to his chest. "You actually cared."

"Sarcastic as ever Kai," Mariam said as if she knew him well.

"Joy," was the muttered reply.

"So... mind telling us why you never told us that you were rich, where you lived or even why you didn't at least keep in CONTACT?" Tyson's voice raised at the end of his sentence.

"You never asked," the ex-captain said simply.

"Oh, so that just makes EVERYTHING fine," Tyson continued.

"Yes it does, and why are you getting so upset about it?"

"Well... I-I mean... I...um......um..." _Why am I so mad about it?_ the navy haired adult asked himself. "I don't really know." he said, anger subsiding into confusion and thought.

"Don't think too hard, you might hurt yourself." Kai smirked.

"I think it's a bit late for that," Hilary said affectionately about her husband.

A brief silence dropped over the group while everyone thought of something to say. Finally it was Ray who broke it.

"Well... your daughter is rather..." he tried to think of a word.

"Spoiled? Energetic? Annoying? Spoiled? Insane? Did I mention spoiled? I know. I've lived with her for 15 years," Kai almost seemed hysteric.

"Not really what I was thinking, but close enough," Ray said, recieving a light slap on his arm from his wife.

"Gee dad, I feel so loved. See if I don't talk about you behind your back!" The teens had returned.

"You already do," he pointed out, blinking. He was calm once again.

"So? At least it's good stuff."

"You told your friends that I was an overprotective-no-freedom-giving meanie."

"Oh, you make it sound so bad. I meant it in a good way," Lyra smiled sweetly at him while she handed him a Coke.

"Sure. You always do."

"Oh, you know me so well."

"I should. I raised you."

"How grateful of that I am, mind you."

"Oh, of course."

"Hey, we're gonna go off and terrorize people, okay? Meet the new generation to recruit into our juvenille... deployments. That's it! We'll spread out and attack."

"Okay, stay out of trouble-"

"Dad, this is me we're talking about."

"I know, hence I repeat, stay out of trouble, call if there _is_ trouble, check-up in an hour, and please don't do anything stupid. And that includes eating all the chocolate that you find."

"But that's like... everything fun!"

"I know. Fun is prohibited. You're still grounded."

"We aren't even home."

"So? You can still pay for missing curfew."

"By half an hour."

"You still missed it." Father and daughter continued to argue, while the forgotten people looked on in interest.

"I'm still gonna eat chocolate. You can't stop me if you're not there."

"I'll extend your groundation if you go overboard. I'll know."

"Of course. You always figure everything out."

"Damn straight I do."

Lyra sighed. "Fine, now that you've lain down your conditions, I will lay down mine," she said. "You're limited to three alcoholic drinks." She knew her father could down 5 beers and not be fazed, but she wanted him to be restricted also.

"Whose to say I have to listen to you?" Kai half sneered.

_And so it starts!_ She thought. She took a half step forward, completely serious. Lyra looked up at him, with a half amused-half conniving smirk. Her eyes held a glint of mischief and a hint of something that could only be considered as evil.

"Check your right pocket," she said slyly. He, surprisingly, obeyed, but very slowly, as if trying to figure out what his daughter was up to, and, when he felt nothing, he narrowed his eyes at his daughter. Her eyes stared straight into his as she pulled two things out of her right hand pocket and held them out for everyone to see. The rental keys were hanging off of her thumb and his wallet was in her opened palm. Her smirk grew.

If there were any doubts about the relation between father and daughter, Lyra's sudden attitude change had removed them.

"This is your collateral. You have one drop of alcohol over three, and I'll consider you too drunk get behind the wheel, so, naturally, I'll have to drive the 30 minutes back to the hotel. Very inconveniently I get pulled over for speeding. Obviously since I don't have my license yet, they check the adult, which in this case is you. Unfortunately you've lost your wallet, which contains your license. Now that, alone, is a minor misdemeanor. Yet, when he figures out that you're intoxicated, that's a double slammer. You get taken into custody for DWI, and I'm free of parental supervision until tomorrow, whenever I decide to bail you out. Using your own money, of course." She waited a moment to let it all sink in. "Now, daddy dearest, are you going to have more then three drinks tonight?"

Kai clenched his teeth and glared at his blackmailing daughter, who gave a smug grin. "Didn't think so. Well, I'll check-in in an hour, okay?" she said before turning and joining her new friends.

"Spoiled brat," Kai growled, not keeping his voice low.

Lyra smiled innocently. "I've learned from the best," she remarked, dropping the seriousness and acting like normal. The group of teenagers started off through the crowd of people on the dance floor.

Kai lowered himself into an empty chair, letting out a long breath. He glared at the ceiling as if it was the cause of all his problems.

"Payback's a bitch, huh?" Max sympathized.

"Dude, Kai." Tyson blinked. "Your daughter just blackmailed you and was completely ammune to your 'I-want-to-massacre-the-whole-world' death glare."

"What's new? Her and Fuzz are both against me. _Everyone_'s against me. I swear they see me and they're like 'Oh look it's Kai! Lets go make him miserable!' All of them!"

"You've changed a bit Kai." Mariah said.

"You try living with my spoiled, conniving, 'I'll-get-my-way-no-matter-what' daughter and see if it doesn't stress you out. Guarantee it will within only a week."

"Sounds like fun. So, what else have you been doing? Besides dealing with your daughter, and people out to get you," Ray inquired.

"Family business."

"Which is?" Max picked up.

"Hypothetically I'm like the Bill Gates of Russia." (A/N: People, bare with me on this.)

"So, you own a computer company?"

"Yes, Kenny. I didn't invent it, that was Voltaire. Dispite his off-the-rocker-maniac-evilness he was still quite brillant until he got caught. I'm sure you know what he's been up to since then."

"Wierd to hear you say that Voltaire was brillant," Tyson commented absentmindedly.

"Don't I know?"

_With the others:_

"So, you going to get in trouble for doing that?" Randy asked the crimson eyed girl.

"Prolly. But who cares? I'm free! For now at least."

"So, did you think of all that at the top of your head?" Takeshi asked.

"Yup."

"Cool. I need someone to help me in my duties against the 'rents. Welcome to my gang!" Cam said, thumping the younger girl on the back.

"Come on! You can't tell me that there's no one our age here! Where can they all be?" Takeshi complained, sacnning the room.

"Um, dude! There!" Cam pointed to a side room which had some couches and magazines as well as a beydish and a foozeball table (table soccer for those who don't know, just in case).

"Lets go! Forward march!" Lyra ordered and they continued their way through the crowd.

"You know what? I wonder why they really put this whole thing together, ya know? I mean it seems to sudden to just be a plain old get together."

"Hmm, I never really thought of it before. But you're right. Way too sudden. I wonder what they could be planning?"

"Dunno."

They made it to the room and stood at the doorway as the whole room stopped their actions and looked at them. "So no one likes there parents in here?" Lyra joked with a smile.

"That depends. Whom would be inquiring this?" a girl with green hair and light violet eyes asked. A boy with vivid purple hair and red-violet eyes came up beside her.

"Who us? We're ourselves, you?"

The boy smiled. "Like wise." He decided that he liked this girl's wit.

"Jeez, do you really have to be so informal?" Kendra asked Lyra. "I'm Kendra. That's Randy Kon, Camryn Tate, Takeshi Granger, and Lyra Hiwatari."

"Nathaniel Jurgan," the boy answered.

"Audra Dubois. Enchanté."

"Pleased to meet you too." Lyra replied.

"Okay room! Sound off!" Nathaniel ordered the everyone as if they would listen. Surprisingly they all did, only a few with arguments.

"Zachary McGreggor," a boy with short red hair and purple eyes said very reluctantly.

"Aly Giancarlo," a blonde girl with blue eyes answered.

"Jamie Parker," a tall boy with dark red hair and blue-green eyes continued. He had a baseball in one hand.

"Jacob Parker," said a similar looking, but younger, boy.

"Tyler," a football player looking kid with green hair said.

"Ethan," a tall dark skinned boy with matching hair and eyes said.

"Witney," a girl with dark brown hair and golden eyes.

"Holly," said an identical girl at the exact same time. The two obvious sisters traded a look and a smile.

"We're twins," they choursed together.

"Kyle. This is Jerry," a short boy with green hair and purple eyes said. He pointed to a big mohawked kid.

"Kimberly," said a girl with royal blue hair.

"Jordan," this girl had very long red hair and blue eyes.

"Josh," a somewhat short kid with white-blond hair.

"Graham," a boy with brown hair and dark eyes continued.

"Kyo," said a boy with red and grey hair and jade eyes.

"Ellie," a girl with bright blonde hair was next.

"I'm Skyler, and this is my little brother, Dylan," a girl with blue-green hair said slinging her arm around a shorter boy with dark green hair.

The boy nodded to Cam. "Hey big cuz! Long time no see."

Cam smirked. "Ditto shorty. Hey Sky."

"Cam," Skyler nodded.

"Touching family get together. So I can get this over with, Riley," a pale girl with lavender hair and eyes said coldly. She looked at everyone in the room with the same manner and disinterest.

"Derrick," a short kid with dark purple hair and burgundy eyes said. He was smirking.

"Stephanie," a girl with pale blonde hair said.

"Don't for get me," a new voice said. they turned to the door and Lyra smiled.

"So your finally here? Perfect timing!" Lyra clapped her hands together. "Everyone, Chloe Valkov!"

"Don't worry, I heard all of your names."

"So everyone here bored also?"

"Basically," nodded Jamie.

"Yup us too," Lyra continued.

"Not much to do. All the adults are in control. At least we got this room before they could. I mean, who really wants to go into a room full of teenagers? Besides other teenagers," Aly commented.

"I know. We were gonna stir things up, but decided against it. For one I don't want to be grounded again. For two I just used all my brain power to blackmail my dad," Lyra said.

"We got playing cards. Why don't we all play Drug Dealer?" Ethan suggested.

"What, pray tell, is that?" Nathaniel asked.

"Y-y-you've n-never heard of it?" Tyler sputtered.

"Okay. Well, it's a card game, obviously," Ethan started, ignoring his best friend's comment.

"Obviously," Nathaniel agreed.

"Well, we use the Queen of Hearts, Jack of Spades, and number cards. You can go into the other face cards if you need to but we wont. The dealer shuffels enough cards so that everyone playing gets one, that only they can see. Anyway, the person with the Queen is the drug dealer and the person with the Jack is the cop," Ethan explained while everyone listened. Even Riley looked slightly interested.

"The number cards are the drug addicts, who ever has one wants to buy drugs from the dealer," Tyler put in. Ethan nodded and continued.

"Now the dealer wants to sell to all the addicts without getting caught by the cop. They do this by giving one of the people some kind of sign, weather it's a wink, scratching your cheek, raising your eyebrows or something like that. Any kind of small sign as to not draw attention from who ever is the cop."

"What if you give a sign to the cop?" Kyle asked.

"That's the point. You don't know who the cop is and you have to take chances. Once someone who has an addict card gets a sign from the drug dealer they put their card into the middle of the circle and say 'A deal has been made.' Then they are out of the game and watch to the end, which happens if either the drug dealer sells to all of the addicts or the cop catches him or her. If the drug dealer manages to get every card down with out getting caught they win. But if the cop catches that person before everyone's card is down then that person wins."

"So basically only the cop, or the drug dealer can win?" Audra wanted confirmed.

"Basically. But it's still pretty fun. And it's a good way to spend hours. Me and Ethan got our whole class to play on a school camping trip, even the teacher. We were up until about 3 in the morning," Tyler said chuckling. Ethan smiled and shook his head.

"Good times, good times."

"Well I'm in. I mean it's either this, sit around boredly until we leave, or listen to our parents get reaquanted with each other," Lyra looked over at her shoulder into the other room.

There were a lot of 'yes's and a single, short nod from a certain lavender haired girl. Even Nathaniel agreed to play. Everyone managed to find a seat on the floor around the wide, circular coffee table and the playing began.

_With the 'rents:_

"Oh gods Lee! Kevin! Gary! It's so good to see you all!" Mariah gushed.

"Hey Kev," Ray nodded. "Lee, Gary."

"Ray," Lee returned the gesture. Gary had already moved to the refreshment tables.

"He'll never change," Kevin shook his head.

Off to the side Robert had gotten into a conversation with Kai about businesses. He had worked with Kai a couple of times over the years. Kenny and Emily listened to learn more about the business.

Mariam and Max were chatting with Joseph and his wife, Kate. It was one family reunion.

Tyson and Hilary were talking with Kane and his wife and Salima. Kane's wife had been unable to make it. Salima's husband was off talking to the DJ about the music that they were playing and seeing if there was anything else they could listen to besides country (A/N: I don't have anything against country music.)

"You know, it's been quite peaceful. Normally my son would be complaining about something by now!" Tyson said, breaking everyone out of their seperate conversations.

"Too peaceful," Kai looked around the room suspiciously, as if expecting the walls to suddenly collapse. "Lyra's never quite for this long. I think we're all in trouble!"

"I think that's a bit melodramatic, Kai," Oliver tried to comfort him. "But it is strangely calm."

"Melodramatic? You think I'm being melodramatic? You haven't lived with _my_ daughter for the last 15 years have you? No! I'm rather calm at the moment, if you really want to know."

"He's at it again," Tyson sighed, shaking his head.

"Poor guy," Max agreed.

"Where are the kids anyway?" Mariah asked her fellow ex-world class beybladers.

"I don't really believe what I'm seeing, but is it possible that that's them in that other room? All playing cards together?" Oliver pointed across the room and at the group of teens all sitting around the table smiling amused as their gazes moved back and forth between Kyle, Riley, Holly and Whitney who were the only ones that still had cards.

Kyle looked stressed as his eyes shifted from one girl to her look alike, whom were both grinning slightly (very slightly) sadistically, and over to the one glaring death at him. He was even sweating and panting slightly, as if wondering who he could trust.

"Yup," Tala confirmed.

"Did we ever hit it off like that?" Michael wondered out loud.

"Yeah... right!" Bryan, surprisingly, was the one to answer. There was an agreement and a few quiet laughs.

Finally Kyle gulped and flicked his card across the table to Riley, smirking. "Busted!" he exclaimed triumphantly.

"Fine! You win," she forced out, tossing her card next to his Jack, reveiling the Queen of Hearts.

He let out a breath. "Next game!" Lyra shouted. Camryn gathered up all of the cards from the middle of the table and began to shuffel them. Before he could give everyone thier card there was the ringing of a microphone.

"Sorry to interrupt your game, but I'd like to take a few minutes to make an announcement about this little gathering," the kids and adults alike turned to see Mr. Dickenson next to the DJ. (A/N: People, for the sake of the story he's still the same age and exactally the same, okay?)

"See? I told you there was a reason!" Kendra said excitedly, loud enough for everyone to hear.

"We never disagreed," Lyra pointed out.

"Alright ladies," Mr. Dickenson chuckled into the microphone. "As I was saying. This isn't just a reunion. There is a little more."

"Like what, Mr. D?" Tyson asked, still using his nickname for the old timer.

"Well some of my associates and I have been toying with this idea for a while. A few weeks ago we made our final decision. We've decided that we're going to start up the World Championships again."

"What?!" Enrique screeched. (heh, couldn't help it.)

"Yes, Mr. Giancarlo. You've heard me right. It will, however, be your kids on teams and participating, not yourselves."

"Yes. Traveling daughter! I'm free!" No one missed Kai's comment and Lyra glared in her father's direction, rivaling his own glare.

"Actually, sorry to inform you Mr. Hiwatari but she and quite possibly her whole team will be staying at your manor between tournaments."

"Ha! Take that dad! Too bad you said that a little too soon," Lyra threatened with an evil look. Kai only glared at her, which she returned evenly. All of the beybladers and their children watched this exchange with amusement, many never having seen Kai show this much emotion before.

Even Riley couldn't stop the small smile that played on her lips. Finally Mr. Dickenson cleared his throat, regaining the attention that had been lost. "Yes, as I was saying. There will be a number of smaller tournaments and impediments leading up to the finals. There will also be many no-named teams to be defeated, like usual. All of this will help your son or daughter to reach their full potiential in their blading skills. That's all I needed to say, you may carry-on with your previous activities."

Mr. Dickenson handed the microphone back to the DJ and left the booth, walking through the crowd and answering any questions that parents had.

The kids had continued their card game while discussing what it was going to be like traveling the world like their parents did._ This was definately worth coming for._ Was Lyra's only thought as she busted Takeshi who was the worst drug dealer of the group.

**--T-O--B-E--C-O-N-T-I-N-U-E-D--**

Okay, done. Sorry, but I'm not sure on many of their last names so... yeah.

To make it easier on me I gave everyone their parent's hair color (from the show). Their eyes might be but I'm not sure. And I decided that Kai is a little more then slightly OC, okay? It's fun portraying him this way.

And little guide for those who want it. The kids going down were offspring (ha! Love that word!) of (like I said, please go with me on some of these last names. Most of them I didn't even spend time think up one):

1)Nathaniel Jurgen- Robert Jurgen

2)Audra Dubois- Oliver Dubois

3)Zachary McGreggor- Jonny McGreggor

4)Aly Giancarlo- Enrique Giancarlo

5)Jamie/Jacob Parker- Michael Parker

6)Tyler- Steve

7)Ethan- Eddie

8)Witney/Holly- Lee

9)Kyle- Kevin

10)Jerry- Gary (Haha. It rhymes.(Unintentionally))

11)Kimberly- Kane

12)Jordan- Salima

13)Josh- Jim

14)Graham- Goki

15)Kyo- Ozuma

16)Ellie- Dunga

17)Skyler/Dylan- Joseph

18)Riley- Bryan

19)Derrick- Ian

20)Stephanie- Spencer

That does help, no? Maybe a little? Anyways, review if you like.


	5. Photo shoot and the Dinner Time Showdown

Okay, here it is.

DISCLAIMER: Okay the list of stuff that I own:  
1) A bed  
2) Pillows  
3) Blankets  
4) A desk  
5) 50¢ on my desk  
6) MD Player  
7) Smelly hockey equipment  
8) The story line and OCs

Hmm… I don't see beyblade on the list, do you?

**

* * *

**They were still in Japan. Two weeks had passed since the reunion yet everyone was still in Japan. The parents setting up paperwork and helping on the different tournaments and what hotels the bladers would use. 

The said individuals were spending time to get better aquainted with there other teammates andrivals.

Camryn and Lyra were getting along famously, pranking every and anyone they could. They were taking it easy, though, saving their biggest pranks for the road where they could get away with everything.

Tomorrow everyone would be going home for a week, to get ready for the future business. In one weeks time everyone would be meeting at the Hiwatari manor, the biggest lodging place that was closest to a BBA office. There the last few plans would be put into action and the World Championships would roll into motion.

Tonight there would be a big dinner mandatory for all participents. Today however was to be the most busy day. The photo shoot and interviews for the world wide _Beyblading Today_ magazine headed off by the BBA.

It was well into the afternoon and the Jr. Bladebreakers were the last team to go.

"Alright people. Before we get our photographers on the job, I believe that a change of clothing will be in order," an extremely snobbish lady, with a name tag that read 'Ana' on it, said briskly as she entered the room. Lyra immediately hated her. Brat's tail started whipping back and forth, reflecting her thoughts.

"Come on, come on! We don't have all day! After the pictures is the team interview! Hurry now!" She ushered them all into a clothe closet/changing room.

"What a bitch," Camryn commented, after a moment. He recieved a slap on the arm from Kendra. Lyra and Takeshi only murmered an agreement while Randy said nothing, though he did agree. Brat butted her head against Lyra's cheek, purring her own agreement.

"Just get some clothes," Kendra scoffed. She started going through a curtain of girls clothes on the opposite side of the room. The rest followed. Kendra was the first dressed and out of the room and Lyra ended up helping the boys on their outfits. After a few more minutes they were all back out into the waiting room. Lyra had ended up helping all of the boys a little.

Takeshi had only gotten his windbreaker changed. Instead of the normal red, white, and blue one it was now white, teal, and black, which Lyra thought fitted him better. He had his normal pair of black jersey shorts on and a white shirt with a blue dragon across the front, which resembled Dragoon. Like most of his outfit his light brown hiking boots remained intact.

Camryn had, reluctantly, ditched his zipper hoody and faded black t-shirt, which had been traded for a white long sleeved shirt where the shoulders and sleeves were the same jade color as his eyes. His light blue cut-off shorts remained while his army boots had been switched for a pair of high top black hiking boots.

Lyra had had fun with Randy's outfit. Only his bandana and red and white shoes remained. Lyra had changed his khaki's and blue shirt for a pair of blue cargo jeans and a short sleeved plain white shirt. Over the shirt he had a short sleeved, red collared shirt, left unbottoned, that had many 2mm wide white lines ran vertically and matching blue lines ran horizontal.

Her outfit wasn't too different from normal. Her overall's were now girls cargo pants with each pant leg folded up at the bottom. Over her tanktop she had a tight light blue pullover that had navy trim. Her Etnies remained.

The four bladers, and one cat, made their way out of the dressing room and back into the waiting room, where Kendra already was. She had a honey/orange skirt that went down to her knees and a light green shirt that matched her eyes. She still had her sandels on.

"Okay... everyone looking great? Check. Ready? Check. Let's go!" Ana said. She led them out of the room and down the hall to another room. Instead of chairs and magazines this one had over a dozen different scenes set up in it.

"Okay people, last group comming in!" Ana shouted to the few people still in the room. "Kid's this is your photographer, Tony. Tony these are, the Jr. Bladebreakers?"

"Yep. Could they get anymore original?" Lyra's second question was directed to her team. Cam snorted and Takeshi just smirked.

"Well at least it fits." Kendra tried to remain optimistic. It was failing due to the fact that she fully agreed with their team captain.

"Oh come on, they take our parent's team name and throw Jr. in front of it," Takeshi retorted.

"Right? My point exactally!" Lyra agreed.

"Children please! Moving on."

"Actually I'm an adult. I'm 17," Cam said argued.

"Me too," Takeshi added.

"Let's just get this over with," Kendra sighed.

"I'll take over Ana, you just go take a break, okay?" Tony said stepping forward. Ana nodded and was gone. "We'll be starting with the pictures, only three or four different scenes,and then finish over there with the interview, alright?" He recieved five nods.

"Who ever said we wanted to do this anyway?" Takeshe muttured to no one in particular.

"Right?" was Lyra's reply.

The first scene was a small wooden bridge, surounded by 'trees' and had a 'river' going out from under it and disappearing out into the horizon. "Okay who's first?"

The group of teens looked at each other. "Kendra?" Lyra gave the suggestion.

"Yeah," the boys chours at once.

"Wha- why me?"

Brat meowed at her.

"Um... cause none of us want to?" at Kendra's glare Lyra continued. "Hey, I'm just agreeing with her." She pointed to the cat sitting on her shoulder.

"Yeah and majority rules." Camryn agreed.

"Urg, fine," she reluctantly walked forward.

"Alright then. Act natural, pick something comfortable. Got it? Good!" Kendra crossed her arms, leaning on the closer railing, and rested her and rested her chin on her forearms. There were a couple dozen clicks and flashes of light. "Alright girly, you can get down now. Who's next?"

Cam, Lyra and Randy looked at each other. "Takeshi." they all said at once.

"Arg, damn." The said blader stepped forward with his shoulders slumped.

Getting to the bridge he slowly walked across, trailing his hand on the closer railing. He stopped halfway across and turned towards the camera with a very serious expression. Clicks were heard and flashes were seen before he was allowed to leave the scene.

"Cam, you're next!" Lyra pushed the older teen. Rolling his eyes he walked over to the fake scene, to the middle of the bridge and leaned back against the farther rail, which came to his waist. In his left hand was his CD player, headphones still around his neck, and his right had was on the rail. A smirk played on his lips.

"Good," was Tony's only comment before the on slaught of clicks and flashes.

"Well Randy, go ahead," Lyra waved the black haired boy to the stage. His pose was simple, stand on the middle of the bridge with his hands in his pockets and facing the camera.

All too soon it was Lyra next. She chose to sit on the further railing with her feet hanging down. She had a small smile. Brat jumped onto the closer rail and beside her.Some clicks and blinding flashes later they moved onto the next scene.

This one was actually a real fire place, sitting on a stone step. "Alright then, one at a time on the step. Lets go kiddies."

"Adults," Takeshi and Cam chorused.

"Right, whatever. Same line up?"

"Yup," Lyra confirmed.

"Fine." Kendra went forward again, sitting on the mantle of the fireplace.

She took a comfortable position, arms hugging her knees to her chest. Her chin rested on one knee cap. With a little smile and a lot of clicks and flashes, she then got up and shoved Takeshi towards the fireplace.

He took a position some-what similar to Kendra's, instead one leg was folded under him. His elbow rested on his thigh and he proped his chin in the palm of his hand. His fingers were covering his mouth, making it impossible to tell if he was smiling. Tony obviously didn't care, and soon it was Cam's turn.

He sat across the entire step, right side facing the fire and left side facing the camera. His left leg was flat against the stone step, his right foot was flat on the step, with his right knee bent. His right elbow was resting on his right knee, and his left hand, which also held the CD player, was resting on the step. He looked straight ahead, so the camera only caught his profile.

After the now annoying clicks and flashes, it was Randy's turn. He sat on the pedestal, facing the camera, with his feet on the wooden floor. He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his thighs and his fingers clasped together. He smiled at the camera and it was once again Lyra's turn.

She sat like Randy had, with her feet on the wooden floor. With her toes pointed in towards each other, she leaned back onto the plam of her hands and gave a small smile. Brat had curled up onto her lap. Lyra could feel her purring.

The next scene was of a school hallway. Kendra's pose was leaning against the fake locker that was opened.

Takeshi followed by trying to open up the locker. Tony took the pictures before he realized that it was still fake.

Cam put his CD player in the locker that was opened and leaned onto the locker beside it. Randy had his hands in his pocket and, also, leaned against one of the closed lockers.

Lyra leaned against the locker before sliding down to sit on the floor. Her head was slightly tilted back and Brat was sitting, once again, on her shoulder._ This is getting very boring._

The next scene was of in front of a building,resembling, somewhat,the mall Lyra and Kai had visited the first night in Japan.

"Okay, this one and then one more scene. Kendra?" Tony said.

The said teen went forth and thought for a second in front of the camera. She moved so that it looked like she was walking into the 'mall', not paying any heed to the bazillion of flashes.

Next Takeshi went up. He stood right in front of the 'building' and locked his fingers together, putting them on top of his head. He glanced around real quick before giving a slight shrug and a small smile.

Cam's pose was simple. He stood braced with both hands behind his back, his left hand was gripping his right wrist. His CD player was in his pocket, the headphones still around his neck.

Randy, surprisingly, didn't have his hands in his pocket. Instead he faced the camera in front of the 'building', with his hands extended outward, palms up.

Lyra went up with Brat still on her shoulder. The gears in her head were working fast. _Dad's gonna kill me._ She turned toward the camera. Both her thumbs were hooked on the waist of her jeans. She had her wrists pinning the bottom park of her pullover up at her belly-botton, revealing part of her midrift. With her chin held high she flashed a slightly seductive smile at the camera.

"What was that?" Kendra shreiked.

"That was a 'piss-off dad' original. He's gonna hate it and then I'll be grounded til the twelveth of, oh I don't know, never?"

"Then why'd you do it?" Takeshi asked.

"Because it was fun. And I can't wait to see his reaction. Even if it's at my expense."

"You're crazy," Kendra shook her head.

"Thank-you. I try."

"Alright team. Last picture." There was no scene now, just the window looking out into the sky, the ocean faintly visible past the city lines.

This was the team picture. Cam stood off to the side, back slightly turned from the team, but facing the camera. He smirked and flashed a victory sign. Randy was next to him, one hand out, petting Brat, who was on Lyra's soulder, still. His other hand was in his pocket.Takeshi and Kendra, having grown up together were fairly close, leaned their backs against each other, crossing their arms and trying to look intimidating. Lyra stood behind Takeshi, more toward Cam and Randy. Brat was, as afforely mentioned, on her shoulder.

"Perfect! Alright then, let's get you over for the interview," he showed them to a lounge area. There was an older woman named Angela.

"About time, I thought I was going to die of old age," she snapped at Tony. Lyra decided if she could choose her gramma, this lady would be it.

"Well, I leave them in your secure care, Angie," Tony said.

"Angela to you. Actually, make that Mrs. Dausen," she said to him before he left.

"Well, lets get this done with. I will ask this overrated list of questions and you will answer. I assume you have the mental capacity to do so. Thank god the list is short."

Lyra grinned. Yup, this was her ideal gramma. Kendra and Takeshi shared a surprised look. Randy looked impassive and Cam just looked insulted.

"First, 'Where does everyone live'?"

Kendra: "Bakuten."

Takeshi: "Bakuten."

Camryn: "America."

Randy: "China."

Lyra: "Russia."

"Okay, second, and possibly the most stupid question ever, what are your favorite colors?"

Kendra: "Hmm... probably orange."

Takeshi: "Teal."

Cam: "Jade."

Randy: "Blue."

Lyra: "Lavender. And her's is black." She pointed to her cat.

"Right, next pointless question. 'Give one or a couple of words to describe each of your teammates.' Thoughts on Kendra?"

Takeshi: "Relaible friend."

Cam: "Proper mannerism."

Randy: "Very smart."

Lyra: "Very strict."

"Okay, now for Takeshi. Fire away."

Kendra: "Fun."

Cam: "Short." At this he smirked.

Randy: "Likes to beyblade."

Lyra: "Hungry."

Takeshi cut in: "Very."

"Camryn. Go people."

Before Cam could protest. Kendra: "It's Cam." She smiled. "Protective."

"Cam, Camryn, Carma, whatever." Lyra's smile widened and Cam, once again, looked insulted.

Takeshi: With his own smirk, "Punk."

Randy: "Brotherly-type-figure."

Lyra: With an evil grin. "Partner in crime."

Cam: "Hell yeah!" They traded high-fives."

"That's great, good for you," Mrs. Dausen said in monotone. "Moving to Randy."

Kendra: "Pensive."

Cam: "Polite."

Takeshi: "Easy going."

Lyra: "Reticent."

"Yeah, yeah. Next is Lyra. Lay it on."

The group traded amused looks on their thoughts of their captain.

Kendra: "Conniving and annoying. And crazy"

Cam: With an evil grin, "Partner in crime." Once again they traded high fives.

Takeshi: "Random yet funny."

Randy: " Loud and blunt."

Lyra faked tears. "I'm so happy! My goal in life is complete!"

"Very emotional, moment... Okay now that that's over. Favorite school subjects?"

Kendra: "Computer Technology."

Takeshi: "Art and lunch."

Camryn: "Lunch and study hall."

Randy: "Physical Education, science."

Lyra: "Science, automotives."

"Whatever." Angela sighed. "Non beyblading activities."

Kendra: "Computer programming, surfing the net."

Takeshi: "Sleeping and eating."

Camryn: "Listening to music, watching western movies."

Randy: "Sports, hanging out with my friends."

Lyra: "X-treme sports, pranking people, namly my dad, hanging with my beloved kitten."

"Okay, that's a wrap, thank god."

"That's all? It was like, five completely random questions," Kendra inquired.

"Yeah, I know. Isn't it nice?"

"Not really, just a waste of time."

"That's what I said. Now go away."

The group of teens, as told to, left and went to get put their other clothes on. They left and got onto the bus that was heading back into town.

"So, what's on the agenda tonight?" Camryn asked.

"Uh, dude. We have dinner at that resturant, you know with all the other beybladers and thier parents?" Lyra informed the boy.

"Yeah. What kinda resturant is it, anyways?"Takeshi asked.

"Well, going out on a limb here, I'd have to say a Japanese resturant, seeing as we're in Japan."

"No duh," Kendra spoke for her friend.

"Hey, he asked," Lyra defended herself.

"What do we do until then?" Randy asked.

"I know what I'm gonna do," Lyra answered.

"What?"

"Annoy my dad, what else?"

"Well," Takeshi started. "There is practice."

"Good idea. Then I can go annoy my dad!"

The group got off of the bus at the beach and took turns battling each other. (A/N: I'm not good at battle scenes, so I'm gonna save what I have for the more important battles.)

Lyra ended up the winner with Randy as runner up and Takeshi and Cam arguing that they cheated some how. Kendra, having processed the battles and data, told them off by saying that they could all use some improvement, Takeshi and Cam mainly.

They caught the next bus back into town, getting off at the stop that was 7 blocks from the hotel and 3 from Kenny's in one directionand 8 from Tyson's dojo in the other. The group went their seperate ways, the two girls right and the three boys left.

_Later that night:_

Lyra climbed out of the car. She had her bag slung over one shoulder, Brat resting comfortably in the bag. She, after much arguing with her dad, wasn't wearing her normal overall pants.

Instead she was wearing a jean, overall skirt that came down to mid-thigh. Her shirt was a form fitting, black and red stripped, long-sleeved shirt with a white V-shapped neck and a collar, which had been neatly folded down. Her socks were up to her knees and, like her shirt, was stripped black and red and her normal Etnies were still there.

Her dad had the same style outfit as the night of the reunion. Black slacks, and dress shoes. His turtle neck was red this time and his short sleeved, collared overshirt was midnight blue.

They walked into the resturant and up to the front desk. "Reservation under Dickenson," Kai informed the employee.

"Ah, yes. In the banquet room, right this way. I do believe that you are the last of the party," the waiter led them through the dining rooms and into a seperate room. It was fairly big, with a table for each team, parents and kids alike.

"Thank-you ladies and gentlemen, for being here tonight. As you all know, tomorrow we will all be returning to our homes and in one weeks time we will be reunited at the Hiwatari manor. All that I can say is good-bye for now and enjoy the meal. Thank-you," and with that being said, Mr. Dickenson sat downin his seat.

Quite suddenly there was talking, though many tables were fairly quiet. Lyra looked at her plate of sushi and rice, then to the chop-sticks sitting next to them. She stared at the chop-sticks for a few moments before leaning over to her dad.

"Do they have a fork or something?" Kaiobtained an evil gleam in his eyes andgave an equally evil chuckle, drawing some brief attention to the couple. After two identical death glares, their attention was back to their own conversations and meals.

"Nope. Heh, and no eating with your hands. This is a very fine restaurant. Heh, heh, heh."

Lyra gave her father one of those 'what the hell are you on?' looks. "Okay, now you're just creeping me out."

"Fine. See if I show you how to use those! Heh."

"You weren't going to anyways."

"Heh, I know. Heh, heh."

Randy watched this exchange, holding back a grin. He picked up some rice and ate it. His parents were in a conversation with Camryn's. He continued to watch as Lyra continued to glare at her dad. She picked upthe chop-sticks, looking dubiously at them.

Fisting them in her hand she used them as a scoop, eating some rice. She stuck her tounge out at her dad. He only smirked and picked up a piece of sushi. She stared for a second before attempting to pinch the fish with her chop-sticks.

It fell and she tried again. Again it fell and again she attempted to pick it up. This went on for about five minutes, all the while Kai was chuckling evilly, flaunting his sucess. This earned many more looks from the surrounding group.

_And you'd think that they'd be used to it by now?_ Lyra thought to her self. She looked up and glared at the staring eyes. Her dad's face was lightly pink and his shoulders shook with well hidden laughter, only a few escaping chuckles.

Lyra smirked and her eyes swept the room. With only her father paying attention and Randy, stealthly watching out of the corner of his eyes, she let one of the chop-sticks fall to the spot beside her plate, on the table. Holding the lone other one, she speared the elusive piece of fish. She brought it up to her mouth and ate it with a smirk.

"Ha! What now?" with no reply from her father she continued"Oh yeah, you got served! Ha!"

They had a brief glaring contest before promptly ignoring each other. Lyra let out a sigh and looked back at her chop-sticks, then to her hand. She sighed again, shaking her head slightly. A hand reached over.

She looked over at Randy. "You hold them like this," he fixed them in her hand. "Now try." With a small shrug, Lyra reached down and grabbed another piece of sushi, this time sucessfully carring it to her mouth.

She gave a small smile. "Thanks. At least someonecan help me here," with this she gave another glare to her dad. He raised an eyebrow. She stuck out her tounge. They spent the rest of the meal in small conversations about random things.

Pretty soon the night was over and everyone went back to were they were staying for their last night.

_The next morning (at the airport):_

Everyone got there near the same time and waited for their scheduled planes. Camryn and the Jr. All-Stars left on a plane for Washington D.C. Lyra, her dad, and Team Blitzkreig Boys (A/N: I know I spelt that wrong.) all left for Moscow and some other Russian city (A/N: Yeah, for me it's late so I'm not gonna bother and pick a city).

Randy and White Tigers III, they just had to be different, left for Hong Kong. Takeshi, Kendra and the Jr. Saint Shield team watched everyone off.

_Hiwatari Manor:_

Lyra flopped down on her bed. "Ahh, there's no place like home," she turned, inhailing the scent of her pillow. "So much better. Everyone better like this place. I guess we'll know in a week, huh Brat? How do you like your _real_ home? You get that pillow." She pointed to one of the dozen purple clad pillows. "And maybe another, but I get the rest, kapiche?"

**

* * *

**

And cut. Yeah, this chapter was pretty much pointless. I just needed something, and what's a story with out a photoshoot? 

Also, thanks for the reviews and sorry about the wait. It's just with hockey, both teams, and school, you know. I get a bit side tracked.

Girls team is doing great though. 20-2-2! State tournament this weekend! It's gonna be great! And I finally got my license.

Please review, though I guess I can't really make you.

I'm already working on the next chapter. It's were they all meet up at Kai's place and the journey to the championships starts, or does it?


	6. At the Manor

Hi-ya! Yup, next one is up.

DISCLAIMER: I still don't own it. Maybe I can learn how to hack and then change the names and give me credit though. Hmm……... I doubt it.

Anyways... the next stage!

* * *

One week later everyone was repacking their stuff, this time for a longer stay. Planes flew in to Moscow from all over the world. There the parents and new beybladers were met by Mr. Dickenson and two BBA busses. 

In one was the Jr. Bladebreakers and the Jr. Saint Shields. The second contained Jr. All-Stars and White Tigers III. The Jr. Blitzkreig Boys were all taking their own family vehicles to the Manor.

Everyone studied their surroundings as they drove/were driven across the city and onto a quiet road surrounded by trees. After another twenty minutes of driving they reached a pair ofmetal gates, which were open. After driving up the long, oval driveway, the busses pulled to a stop in front of the mansion.

"Whoa. When Kai said rich, I didn't think he ment his own zip code!" Tyson exclaimed getting off the bus.

"Yeah, and to think we never even knew!" Max agreed. There was a murmur of agreement among all the adults as the teens just stared at the giagantic home in front of them.

"Good afternoon. Master Kai had informed me that he would have a large number of guests today. That would be you I persume?" said the door man. He was dressed in black slacks and a white dress shirt, with shiny black shoes.

"Yes indeed," Mr. Dickenson answered the butler. "And you are?"

"Zacharius. Pleasure. You may leave your bags here, the maids will take them to your temporary living quarters. Master Kai is out back at the tracks, I believe. If you'll follow me?" the door man answered, leading the group of people down a graveled path with bushes on both sides.

It was a long walk to get to the side of the house. There the white-grey trail turned to the left, still lined by bushes. Over the bushes they saw what looked like a dirt road. It ran along side the trail that the group was walking on. After another few minutes they were finally out to the back of the mansion.

They followed Zacharius to what looked like a spectator's stand, a sturdy wooden balconey with a white canopy tent over it and a couple dozen seats. Leaning againts the rail, looking down on something, was none other then the host of this party, Kai Hiwatari.

The 34 year old man looked down onto a dirt race track. Today he was wearing a pair of loose legged black jeans and a white short sleeved dress shirt, which seemed to be all that he owned.

As they got closer they realized that he was looking over a dirt, racing track. Along one of the stretches was a deep puddle of muddy water, remainder of last night's rain. The riders avoided it by keeping to the inside of that part.

Kai turned around and regarded his guests with a cool stare. He turned back to the track and watched as the half dozen four wheelers and the lone dirtbiker raced around the track. Some of the riders had pony tails, half didn't.

They all stopped at the jump before the muddy corner and talked and nodded for a few minutes.

When they seemly agreed on something they took turns, one by one going full speed and off the jump, dodging the mud as they landed. They were trying to see who could go the highest.

Soon there were two left, a green four wheeler and the dirtbiker.

The dirtbiker rode back a bit, giving more room to pick up speed. Reving the throttle the biker let off the clutch and shot forward. You could see the booted foot shift up gears. The rider, decked in muddy jeans, a black windbreaker, and a blue helmet, quickly closed the gap to the jump. Fifteen feet. Ten feet. Five feet.

Right when the bike was inches from the top of the jump, the four wheeler moved forward, causing the biker to swerve. The rider tried to straighten it but there wasn't enough space. The dirtbike, rider and all, flew through the air on it's side.

The rider managed to get away from the bike but, unfortunately, landed with a splat, in the mud. The green rider was laughing, and the other riders were yelling at him in which most of the people present could guess as Russian. The people there who actually knew Russian were listening to some very colorful vocabulary.

"Damn kid. I'm gonna kill him! I don't need any accidents on my property, yet alone to certain people," Kai hissed. If looks could kill the kid would be six feet under. The group was now gathered, the blue biker still sitting in the mud, glaring at the green rider from behind her mask.

After many minutes of talking there were waves and calls of good-bye, though most people didn't understand because they didn't speak Russian. The riders left through the many side trails that lead into the woods and off their property.

The blue rider treaked up the wooden stairs that connected to the balconey, trailing wet mud behind her. The dirtbike was being attended to by two servents, who were called out.

As the rider neared the top of the stairs the group could hear the person muttering to themselves, in Russian still.

The rider reached the top of the stairs, shoulders slumped and glare visible from behind the goggles, covered head to toe in a thick coating of mud. Did a good job of looking dejected.

The rider unstrapped the helmet and slipped it off, letting her blue hair tumble down. Lyra glared at her dad holding her beloved helmet in her right hand. "You know if he wasn't my cousin they would be cleaning him up down there with my bike."

"Trust me, if he wasn't my nephew, I'd help. As it is, I don't think your mother would like it if we were to kill him. Even if we _could_ get away with it."

"We can. Who the hell would try to arrest us? We own half the government! Then we could buy off the other half and it wouldn't even make a dent in our accounts. Besides, not like they'd be able to find the body, we have the house to hide it and then a whole bunch of land behind it if that doesn't work. Hell, we wouldn't even need to buy the government."

"I know, but we will finish this talk later. I believe our _guests_ are having second thoughts of staying here."

"Oh don't worry, we just do this for people we hate," Lyra reassured the group. She started to walk away, to a garage door, pushing the botton just as a truck came up the dirt road leading from the track, spotless blue dirtbike on the bed.

"Is she okay?" Lyra asked as they unloaded the bike.

"Fine Miss Hiwatari," Doug, thier day time mechanic said. He pushed the bike into the garage, with all of the other ones. The kids, who had followed her, looked in the room with wide eyes.

"Oh, yeah, I'm spoiled rotten. You see, this is my trail dirtbike, it's small, only weighs about 200 pounds. Um it's a Yamaha TT-R125, four stroke engine," she indicated the bike she had been riding."This is my racing dirtbike, Yamaha YZ250, also a four stroke." Here she pointed to a bigger bike then the one she was riding. "And this is my on road, off roadbike, but I can't drive it yet, it's for when I get my license. It is a Yamaha XT225, also four stroke engine. Um it has a six speed transmission, and it's electric start. These two are kick start. Now it's very important that the bikes are either Yamaha's or, on some occasions, Honda. Because yellow, which is Suzuki, green, which is Kawasaki, and orange, which is KTM, are just not my colors."

This caused the group to shake their heads at the overly hyper teen. It was hard to imagine that just a few minutes ago she was planing on how to kill someone.

"These are assorted, because with ATV's type doesn't really go by a certain color. Suzuki will make a red bike, Honda will make a white, very random. Then there are some other companies that manufacture ATVs, like Polaris and Red Cat." She waved her arm to the four wheelers. "Lets see, those four greenish-black ones? They are Kawasaki, those red ones, um three are Suzuki, two are Honda. This blue one is my racing four wheeler, a Yamaha Raptor 350. Let's see, the usual four stroke engine, six speed gear box with reverse, electric start, and only weighs 375 pounds. She's my baby, you hurt her you die. This black one is also a Yamaha. Um, all of the trail bikes are 300s or 250s. Yeah, pretty small." She took a deep breath.

"I wondered when you were going to do that," he dad commented. The parents were also listening, wide-eyed, to her lecture.

"Well I get a little excited about this stuff."

"You're telling me this, she knows as much as I do. You could fire me and work her for free," Doug gave a small smile.

"But that'd mean work. I mean, I've never even made my own bed before. Uh-uh, outta the question. I will not subject myself to work until I have to. And at the moment I don't have to."

"Because you're a spoiled little brat," Kai added.

"Hey! Thanks to you too!"

"What's this one? You didn't talk about this one," Cam pointed to a big one in the back.

"No! No way, you will not start. Don't even think about it," Kai ordered. Doug was sitting in a rollie chair, laughing at his employer's expense.

"Oh, you mean this one? This huge metalic-black special-edition thing in the back?" Lrya patted the seat with a newly ungloved hand. An evil smirk spread over her face and she stared directly into the older Hiwatari's eyes. "This is the utility bike, we plow with it in the winter and stuff, tow stuff with it..." she paused before her smirk widened. "It is a 2005 Yamaha Grizzly 660 Automatic 4x4, featuring: four-wheel independant suspension, 660cc five-valve engine, Ultramatic transmission, Diff lock with override and 11.8 inches ground clearance." She said in one breath. She grinned as her father groaned. "To brush over the _minor_ details... triple hydraulic disk brakes, front and rear supply racks, standard hitch with a capacity of 1212 pounds, and electrical start-up with back-up recoil starter. To put it lightly, it kicks ass."

"Urg, I'm going to kill who ever it was that got you interested in toys," Kai groaned, brushing a hand across his forehead. Doug was in full blown hysterics. He waved his arms when his employer turned his glare at him.

"Nope, not me sir."

"Yeah, dad, geez. It was you who taught me how to ride when I was, like two. Are you going to do yourself in?"

"No because I'm not the person who got you into studying every little mediocre detail about this toy. He is." Kai sent another glare at Doug, who shrugged and wiped his eyes with a towel.

"Well... uh... you bought it! Which, if you hadn't of then I wouldn't have gotten a chance to study it. Huh? What now?"

"You're grounded."

"Why? Because I'm smarter then you? Good reason dad!"

"Urg, no that's not why, just don't talk to me. Okay?"

"Fine then... go away! Yeah, leave."

"I will, if it means I don't have to hear your rant," with that Kai walked off, back around the house. The group of parents followed.

"Well, what now gurlie?" Doug asked Lyra.

"I don't know," she turned to the group. "Anyone want to see their rooms?" There was an assortment of yeah's. She lead her company of teens, following the path her dad took.

"Well okay, basic room layouts. Well every team gets a set of rooms. There are four rooms to every set. A bathroom, two bedrooms, and a living room area. Every bathroom has a big bathtub, a stand up shower, both seperate I might add, of course a toilet, two sinks and a closet of extra towels and soap and stuff you'll need. Um each bedroom has two double beds and two dressers. Fight over which of you will share a room with who. Example, Whitney and Holly share a room because you're both girls, and Kyle and Jerry share a room because they're both guys. Or you can call up a servant and have them move a bed from one room and into another or something, whatever fits you. The living room area had a couch, some seats, TV, computer. Dad went all out." She explained.

"Now my team, our set up is different because you'll be sharing my quarters. You'll see when we get there. Um, we'll enter the main hall that have the stairs. Upstairs is where we will be staying, second floor though, not third or fourth or something like that. Um I'll show you your rooms, and when you get settled in come to mine and I'll give you a brief tour of the places you'll need to know," by now they were walking around front.

"My room shouldn't be too hard to find, we'll pass it when I show you yours. So when you're done just retrace your steps until you're almost at the stairs. Mine will be the last door to the left before them and my dad's is the last door on the right, directly across from mine." Now they were headed up the stairs, everyone looking around in wonder at the high celing, to the stairs that led upward. "This is my rooms, that's my dad's." Lyra pointed to the doors in turn. She lead the group down the hall to show them their respective rooms.

Turning around she led her team back to her rooms.

"Okay then. Here we are," she opened the door to reveil the living room area. "Now Kendra, you have a choice, share my room, or stay out here with the guys. Um lets see, there are two futon couches and three futon seats. Take your picks." There was also a big screen TV, the latest computer of her father's company,a VCR, Playstation 2, X Box, and Game Cube. Off to the right was another door, to her library and study. On the left there were two doors, one to her bathroom and the other to her bedroom.

After everyone got settled, Kendra decided to sleep in the living room, Lyra was once again showing the kids around. On the first floor she showed them the training room, with beystadium, exercise equipment, and a pool, entertainment room,dinning room, meeting room, and kitchens. The grandfather clock rang through the house. 6:00. Dinner time. The group headed towards the big 80 seater table, with Kai at the head.

Dinner was quiet, considering the amount of people that the room contained. When it was done, the mob of parents and children headed for the meeting room, fora talk with Mr. Dickenson.

"Alright, I'm glad to see that everyone made it here okay. Everyone knows how it was done during the first world tournament, right? Good, good. Well this will be much like that, minus the whole evil grandfather part." Kai gave the elderly man a glare and he continued. "Well that's how it will be done, almost. You will be out gaining experience as you wait for the actual tournament to arrive, which will be in one year. Now there is a chance that you may meet up with another team but this is okay. Feel free to challenge them and see how they've approved and what not. Any questions? Well then, Jr. Bladebreakers your flight will be leaving tomorrow, everyone else's will be leaving somtime after. Where you land will be a surprise, if you need something, call back here, where all of your parents will be,or go to the closest BBA office and have them contact me. Thank you for your time children but for now, I would like to talk to your parents. Financial issues."

That got all of the teens out of the room fast. "Now, for what's really happening. And as a reminder, all children but the mentioned five can know..." Mr. Dickenson continued.

_With the neglected five:_

"Well, that sounds interesting enough," Kendra said.

"Yeah, kinda fun too," Takeshi added.

"No parents! This'll be awsome!" Was Camryn's imput.

"Kinda wierd though. I mean, we live and know that they'll be there when we go home. Now we wont even have a steady home," Randy came up with.

"Yeah, a bit depressing really. If you think of it," Lyra agreed with the Chinese boy.

"Yeah," was agreed from the whole room.

"But still, no parents." Cam reminded them all.

* * *

And that concludes this session of A New Team. 

Okay, first off, thanks for the reviews, I'll try to be quicker on the updates but no promisses. I know the basic details of what's comming up, I just have to fill in some minor details.

Um, any questions, comments, or suggesstions? I'm open to all ideas.


	7. Leaving Day

DISCLAIMER: Don't own, never owned, never will own. Get the drift?

Part Seven

* * *

Randy shot up on his futon as the door to the room exploded open. 

Looking tiredly around the room he saw that the rest of the group was still sleeping. He looked at the clock, which read 6:45, and then up to the intruder, who looked at all of the extra bodies like 'what the hell?'. With a shrug the girl stormed over to the double doors that led to Lyra's bedroom and threw them open.

Randy climbed out of his warm bed and stumbled tiredly over to the door, where the girl had started to rant in Russian, Randy figured, as he couldn't understand. Lyra lifted her head and stared at the girl with half lidded eyes, a small black fuzz ball, which was previously sleeping on the small of her back, lifted her head and yawned. "Trish, shut up and start from the top." The girl, now dubbed Trish, held up a handful of pictures, not saying anything.

"Okay, you woke Brat and me up- oh wait, _Randy_ too- before seven to say that Ivan dumped you? We were trying to sleep here."

"Yeah well, we need another burial, come on," the girl muttered and left the room and Lyra blinked tiredly.

"Sorry Randy. She's crazy."

"S'okay, I'm awake now." Lyra nodded before getting out of bed and leaving, Brat around her neck, half hidden by her hair. Randy decided to follow, jogging to catch up with the blue haired captain and her pet.

The two made their way outside before walking off to the right, down a wooded dirt foot trail. After five minutes of walking the two came to a small clearing with a tire swing, picnic table, a big tree house about forty feet above them, with short boards nailed to the trunk for a ladder, and a fire pit. The edge of the clearing was surrounded by raspberry bushes.

They stopped next to the girl, who had dropped the pictures in the firing pit. Lyra took the lighter, one with a long metal nozzle, and clicked it a couple of times before the flame appeared. Trish took out a can of Lysol and sprayed the tip of the lighter, making a flame thrower. Slowly, releasing black smoke, the pictures caught fire.

When they were all ashes the trio made their way back to the front entrance. Trish hugged Lyra and gave her a peck on the cheek, then hugged Randy before getting into her car and leaving. The two bladers watched the black car drive down the mile long driveway before Randy turned to Lyra with a questioning look.

"As you can see, she's a little open with affection." With a sigh Lyra led them both to the kitchen to sit at the counters.

With out asking one of the cooks, a plump lady with strawberry blonde hair, gave Lyra a big cooking bowl full of Frosted Flakes and milk along with a metal salad spoon. Randy watched, vaguely amused as the girl started eating. Before he could protest there was a big plate of pancakes in front of him, along with maple syrup, chocolate sauce, strawberry sauce, whip cream, vanilla cake frosting, apple peanut butter, regular peanut butter, and plain butter in front of him to choose from for toppings.

"Uh, thanks?" He looked at the plate of warm pancakes before going traditional and smothering them in butter and maple syrup.

"They taste real good with apple peanut butter. And chocolate sauce with whip cream. Actually, come to think of it they taste good in general. Thanks Suki." Lyra said to the plump lady, who smiled and winked at the pair before turning back to the cooking food.

Brat had jumped off her shoulders and onto the counter top, where a small plate of cat food awaited her. There was also a small bowl of warm milk next to the plate, which Brat took turns altering from one dish to the next.

Randy started eating the pancakes, now noticing how hungry he had been. "You see, it's best to come straight to the kitchen for everything, they always give you plenty. If you go to the dining room, they serve you like at restaurants." Lyra informed the black haired teen. "Best thing is, they always give you what you want. They just know. When I asked, Suki said that they read the vibes around you, something weird like that."

Randy took a sip of milk, which had also been placed in front of him. The two were just finishing up as a shout resounded through the whole house.

"LYRA!" was echoing around the high ceilings. Randy looked around before looking back to his captain.

"What was that?" he asked. Lyra was standing still, eyebrows raised and eyes widened slightly. She took a deep breath.

"Dad saw the picture from our photo shoot."

"What's he going to do?"

"I don't want to know, lets go before-"

"LYRA ELIZABETH HIWATARI! GET YOUR ASS UP IN MY OFFICE THIS INSTANT!" Boomed through the halls, down the stairs and into the kitchen. Lyra gulped, an almost pained look crossing her face, before looking at the clock, 9:37.

"NOW!"

Lyra bolted out of the kitchen, followed by Randy, and up the stairs, into her dad's office before stopping, hands clasped behind her back.

"Why, daddy, whatever did I do?" She gave him an innocent look, fighting the smile down.

"You know what you did! What is this!" He held up the _Beyblading Today_ magazine, open to the picture of her in front of the 'mall'.

"Um... a photograph. Of me, in front of a background."

"It's un acceptable! You're grounded!" Kai was still shouting, ignoring the fact that his office door was opened and all the guests in the house were outside, listening to father shout at daughter.

"What! You can't ground me; I'm leaving in a few hours! I wont even be here to be grounded!"

"Well, when you get back you will be."

"'Til when?"

"The end of forever. Which means never!"

"So I'll never be grounded?" S_he just doesn't stop, does she? _Was the thought that ran through everyone's minds that was listening.

"No, you'll never be _un_grounded."

"Yeah I will, you don't want me to be grounded, in the same house, _right across the hall,_ from you. Forever. We both know this. By the end of week two- not even, week one, no not even that, a half of week, I'll drive you crazy."

"-er. You're already driving me crazy, you're grounded, end of story."

"You've only doomed yourself," she said in a somewhat cryptic voice.

"Get out."

"You will reap what you sow."

"NOW!"

Turning on her heals Lyra strode out of the room, smile on her face. She closed the door behind her before taking a deep breath and letting it out. "That was fun."

"You are an evil little child," Tyson said, stepping back from the youngest Hiwatari looking at her with something akin to fear.

"Thank you, I try," she replied with a smile before walking across the hall into her rooms. Randy entered right behind her.

"So that's why you looked like you were being killed?" He asked, moving over to his bag and pulled out his clothes. He wandered into the bathroom and changed, coming out in loose legged black jeans, faded below the knees with gold stitching up the side. He was wearing a gold t-shirt, which Lyra couldn't help but noticed that it matched his eyes.

"Yep, actually that turned out perfectly," she said, picking out her own outfit before taking her turn in the bathroom. Moments later she returned, as usual wearing overalls, this time they were a dark blue. Her shirt was a light gray, across the front was writing, Randy read it.

**'Possession is 9/10 of the law.'**

He smiled, the '9/10' was red and beneath it was a red ball with horns, a squiggly tail with an arrow point at the end and a smirk under glaring eyes. A mini devil.

"I still gotta pack, do me a favor and get me that duffel bag in the corner," Lyra pointed to the far corner. Randy got it and brought it to her.

"Thanks. Um, you can watch TV or something. If you want. Or, if you go into my study, there's a computer in there, Internet access, there are books, a pool table, whatever. Oh, can you grab my bag while you're in there, please? It has my laptop in it, so I should take it to keep up with my journal entries. Plus, my dad can get a hold of me that way too. Oh, and my cell should be on the desk next to it, could you grab that too, please? Thanks, love ya," she escaped into her walk in closet. Randy stood in the same place for a few seconds, processing what she had said.

"O...kay?" he said to the empty room. With a shrug he wandered into the study, looking at the three walls of ceiling to floor book shelves, completely filled with books. He looked at her desk; half was cleared for schoolwork as he noticed a pencil sharpener, a couple pencils, pens, and a notebook with half scribbled math equations. The other half held a black computer, flat screen monitor, on top of the tower, which was designed to be turned sideways. The keyboard and mouse were wireless.

In the middle of the room was a professional sized pool table, with blue-violet velvet on it. On the one wall devoid of any bookshelves, the wall, which also held the door back to the living room type thing, there was an area designated specifically to pool equipment. The wall also held two different clocks, one was digital with red flashing numbers, and the other was a regular wall clock.

He shook his head. "She is_ so_ spoiled," he mused quietly. He saw the silver flip cell phone right next to the keyboard on the edge of the desk, it was being charged. Next to it was the black shoulder strap bag that she'd had at the reunion. He picked it up, putting the cell phone and it's charger in the bag next to the laptop, which was in a black, padded cloth bag. There was also a spiral notebook in the bag, a pen, a black permanent marker, and, much to Randy's curiosity, half a roll of duct tape.

He brought the bag into the main room and put it on the futon that he had slept on, which was cleaned off and back up in the chair position. He slid onto the couch and turned on the TV, going through all of her game cube games before finding one that he had been looking for. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Putting the game in the consol system he started playing, waiting for Lyra to finish packing. He had gotten all the way to when he entered the Forest Temple before she came out, duffel bag in hand. "Ready to go?" she asked, flopping down on the couch next to him.

"Hmm," he replied.

"Wow, you're fast at this game. Did you start it new or play one of mine?"

"New."

"Nice."

"Mhmm," was the hummed reply. Randy paused the game and saved it for later before shutting off the Game Cube and TV. "I think our plane leaves in about an hour."

"Well, lets go then!" The two bladers and one cat left the room, shutting the door behind them. Together they made their way down the stairs and into the entrance hall where they put their bags down for the servants to move into the car. They went into the dining room and sat down with the rest of their team.

"Alright everyone, settle down please," Mr. Dickenson called attention to the room. Silence fell. "Thank you. As we discussed last night, the Jr. Bladebreakers will be departing in only a few minutes. I would like every one to wish them luck as they get on their plane and start on their road to the championship, as we all know that it will be a rather new experience."

Lyra's brow furrowed as she tried to decipher the hidden meaning that was hidden in his words. She knew that he meant more then what he was saying. She stored the thought away for later as she listened to the various people giving their best regards, save some who just glared.

"Well, good bye to you all, and we will see you when you return, or if one of us is to meet you along the way." The team of five got up and left the room as one small blob, their parents following close behind.

"Bye Kendra, don't get discouraged," was the farewell from Kenny and Emily.

"About what? It's not like I'm blading at all," was the confused reply. Her parents didn't answer, leaving her to wonder.

Takeshi received an, "Alright, you da man. Win it," from Tyson, and a "We'll miss you. Make good choices, stick together, love you much," from Hilary.

"Yeah, see you when I get back," he managed to get out, what with his mom choking him with a hug and his dad thumping his back repeatedly.

Camryn stood near the wall, his parents next to him. "Don't give in under pressure, you have the ability," came from his mom, as well as a kiss on his temple, which he hastily looked around the room to make sure nobody saw. "Take care of Draciel for me. Watch out for the others, you're the oldest, they'll look to you," was Max's advice.

"Yeah, yeah, don't worry. I'm cool," the tallest teenager replied, fiddling with the headphone cord on his CD player.

Randy's good-byes were more of a pep talk. "Be careful, try not to get hurt. Watch out for the other's, you have the cool head, and instinct. Use them," was Mariah's last words, she hugged her son. "Take everything one step at a time. Have faith; if you believe in yourself then you can do anything you want. Don't worry about losing; just concentrate your all on winning. It'll work out in the end," was Ray's words of wisdom.

"Thanks, I'll miss you both. See you when we get back," Randy said, hugging both his parents.

Lyra of course had more people to say good-bye to. "Get them kiddo," came from Doug. "Now you have even more people to order around, mistress," Zachariah said. "Show them that girls can kick butt too," Suki said.

"Will do Doug. Wont be the same going to hotels and stuff without you there, Zach. I'm going to miss your breakfast Suki," she replied to the three of them. She turned onto her father.

"Stay out of trouble."

"Dad! I would never!" she retorted in mock disbelief.

"Stay out of trouble."

Lyra sighed. "But what if they're asking for it? Is it okay then?"

"Stay out of trouble. ...And don't do anything stupid either. I have spies following you."

"Don't you mean that police scanner in your office?"

"Oh just leave already," Kai scoffed.

Lyra gave a small smile. Part of her was dieing to go out and see the world, another part of her was scared. She had never been away from her dad for more then three days, and then it was school related. Without warning she wrapped her arms around his middle and hugged him. Brat, who had jumped to his shoulder, licked his cheek before jumping back down to Lyra. He half hugged her before letting go. "Gonna miss you daddy," She mumbled into his shirt.

"I'll miss you too, brat. See you when you get home," he replied, rubbing Brat's head. With that the group containing five teenagers and one black kitten, left the house, walking as a group down to the black limo waiting. It wasn't real big, but it was comfortable enough to fit everyone. There was a TV, on the roof was a mini satellite receptor, with a Playstation 2, along with a compartment that held many games and DVDs. There was also a refrigerator built into the interior.

Randy, Lyra, and Brat sat on the seat that was behind the driver, facing the other three in the opposite seat to them.

"We will be arriving at the airport in half an hour, sit back and relax," the driver's voice came back through the window that separated him from the group.

"Thanks Charles," Lyra said, moving Brat from her shoulder onto the seat, between her and Randy. The black ball of fur immediately jumped onto the older boy's lap.

"Not a problem Miss Hiwatari." The car ride proceeded rather quietly. Camryn had his headphones on and was looking at the trees passing by outside, music blaring. Takeshi and Kendra were playing tic-tac-toe with a pad of paper and two pens that they found, occasionally laughing and drawing funny pictures. Lyra was watching as Randy played with Brat, who not fazed at all when she rolled onto her back and caught his hands with her claws and started gnawing on his fingers.

All too soon the ride was over and they were at the airport. The group of five and a cat made their ways over to a private terminal and got on their own private plain, each team would have one courtesy of Kai.

They all loaded and Lyra looked around. _Why didn't we take something like this when we went to the reunion?_ she mused silently. There was a small kitchen area, with a sink, a small refrigerator, and cabinets filled with supplies. There was a bathroom, complete with a stand-up shower. Then there was the passenger's area, containing a black leather couch and four big, black leather recliner chairs. There was also a flat screen TV against the wall with a DVD player.

There was even a kitty box in the corner, as Lyra was delighted to see. Charles, their chauffer, was also a certified pilot and he was acting as captain for the trip. Everyone got settled in and the plane took off.

* * *

Fin. 

Thanks much to the six people that reviewed for the last chapter. It was much appreciated to see that people are indeed reading this story. I hope you're all still there!

I do own Zelda, I was playing it last night and everything. Unfortunately I don't own the idea or anything.

And sorry, time just flew by for me. I mean it was like blink school's over and it's August. Heh, I have my ditsy moments. I mean, I honestly do have the main parts of the up coming chapters all sorted out, it's just filling in all those little details that are annoying to think up.

Anyways, until next time!


	8. Arriving Where?

DISCLAIMER: Still don't own it. Who ever said that wishes can come true lied.

Right, so here is where the story takes such a turn that nobody even saw it coming, except me. This situation that the Jr. Bladebreakers get into will last for the next few chapters.

Heh, enjoy!

* * *

Lyra looked out the window of the plane, gently running her fingers through Brat's soft kitten fur. She sighed. 

_Come on now, you should be happy, no dad! Smile!_ She thought to herself. For some reason she was feeling grouchy, and that damn fly on the window wasn't helping at all. _I need to complain. Man, I wish dad were here, he's the only person I know who I can tick off just by complaining to. Dang! Just when I thought I could live without him I want him here!_

"This sucks!" she said randomly. Randy, who was sitting in one of the comfy leather chairs, flipping through a Beyblading magazine, paused in his page turning to look at her, as did Kendra, who had been searching the web on Lyra's laptop she was borrowing, and Takeshi and Cam, who were playing on the X-Box.

Kendra moved the laptop off her lap and onto the table next to her. "Um, Lyra, you're the one who couldn't wait to leave."

"Yeah, but I just realized that life's pointless now. I can't annoy my dad if he isn't here! How can I possibly be happy, not annoying him?" She looked pointedly around the room. "Arg! Andrey, I need some water! Please!"

"Right away mistress," obeyed the on-board butler, who immediately got up and got a bottle of spring water from the refrigerator and brought it over to her, twisting the cap off.

"Thank you," she said curtly, taking a small sip. The butler replaced the cap and put the bottle in the cup holder at the side of the chair, before retreating to his own chair, next to the door of the plane.

Lyra sighed again, turning to look out the window, trying to ignore the fly at the top of it. After a few minutes she looked around the room again. Kendra was finished with the laptop; Randy was sitting Indian style on his chair, still flipping through the magazine. Takeshi and Cam were looking for a new game. Deciding not to they spun their chairs around. In a silent agreement all four teenagers turned to stare at Randy.

It was five minutes later that he finally looked up to five pairs of eyes. He raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Oh, we were just waiting to see how long before you noticed we were all staring at you," Cam said with a shrug. Takeshi nodded in agreement.

"Basically."

Randy's mouth formed and 'o' before he surveyed his teammates. "Right."

"So anyone have any ideas?" Lyra asked, still petting Brat. The boys shook their head and Kendra looked to be thinking.

"Well, I don't know. Why don't we just talk?" she suggested. Cam's eyes lit up.

"Yeah, how about we all share a weird family tradition or habit? Or rather just an odd fact, something no one would expect." His teammates looked at him like he was crazy. He shrugged. "What? It can be funny."

"But what do you mean, exactly?" Kendra asked.

"Well... okay," Cam started, "Um, we leave the radio in our kitchen on all the time. Right now, it's still on. Been on for the last few weeks that we haven't even been home. It's for our dog. If there isn't always a source of noise then he gets anxious and throw-up everywhere he can. I remember, it happened once during a storm and the power went out. In the five minutes or so before the generator kicked on he threw-up three times. Once was on my bed, which I had happened to be in at the moment." He glared at the wall, remembering the night.

The group looked at him before everyone laughed.

"Haha," Cam said sarcastically.

"Wait, what about your dog? He's probably dead now, no food or water," Takeshi said. Cam shook his head.

"Grampa stops by every day to feed him and give him some water. He has a dog door to get outside into the yard. There's a chained fence so he can't run off."

"Okay, I understand a bit," Kendra nodded. She hesitated for a moment, thinking. "Does it have to be about the whole family? Or can it be about a parent?"

Cam shrugged, "Whatever works."

She nodded again. "Alright... well my dad has a concealed weapons permit. He can hit a moving target dead on from fifty feet away." Her teammates stared at her. "What? It's true. He brought me to the shooting range with him once. Wonder why he always wears a blazer? He has a holster on his belt, it keeps it hidden."

The silence lasted for a few more minutes until Takeshi broke it.

"Kendra, you're telling us that your dad, computer scientist for life, actually has a gun? And a good shot?" he asked, not quite believing it. Never in a million years would he have imagined that his parent's long time friend Kenny was a marksman.

But Kendra nodded in conformance.

"Whoa. Do not want to see him mad," Cam admitted. Takeshi, Randy, and Lyra nodded in agreement.

"Oh, me next!" Takeshi said eagerly. "Well, my mom makes a groceries list and then makes my dad pay for them all." His teammates stared back blankly. "She finally got so upset going to the store, buying a crap load of groceries, and then the next day finding out my dad already ate them all. This is the only way food in our house lasts for more than a day. Dad doesn't like wasting his money, even if he doesn't mind wasting mom's."

"Well, understandable," Kendra agreed. "If that were the case I would do the same thing." Takeshi nodded.

Randy gave a small sigh. "Well, this is kind of embarrassing, you know in a 'big secret my friends can't find out about my parents' way." Randy nodded. "Well, in our house we have four bedrooms, one for me, one for my parents and a guest bedroom. The-"

"That's only three though," Cam counted.

"I know, you cut me off," Randy said, giving the taller blader a pointed look. "The fourth bedroom is actually their shrine. For white tigers." He nodded solemnly. "Yeah, the walls, floor, shades for the windows, door out, everything is tiger stripped. Then there's the posters, figurines, stuffed animals, and blankets, you name it, it's there. I think they got a new statue actually. Life size. Not even joking."

Ten minutes later his teammates were still laughing. Lyra patted him on the shoulder. "I'm so sorry! Oh you poor kid," she gasped.

"That's not even the worst part. They, like, _hail_ the white tiger. They even _pray _in that room."

This sent his teammates into another round of laughter as he took a deep breath and let it out. "It's so embarrassing, I can't believe I even told you that." His face was slightly red from embarrassment.

"As long as you're not in the cult, it's all right," Cam said, finally calmed down.

Everyone turned towards Lyra. She smiled, "Well, we have a... um... genetically altered ferret, Leroy Brown. You've all heard stories about how my Great Grandfather, Voltaire, tried to cyber-program kids, right? I think it was Chloe's dad who was his test subject."

Her teammates nodded but before she could continue Cam cut in.

"Leroy Brown? Like the song?" he asked, smiling. Lyra nodded with a smile.

"Yeah. Anyways... well daddy wanted to do a little experiment with it, instead of people testing he used a baby ferret. And it worked. Leroy is a freakin' genius. I mean he listens on command, to anything. You tell him to sit, he sits, you tell him to speak, he yips, I guess you could call it. You tell him to lie down, roll over, shake, he does. And then there's the more complex commands, you know, go into the kitchen, climb onto the counter, go through the little hole in the bottom of the cabinet and get the bag of chocolate chips. And let me assure you, he scuttles across the kitchen floor, scales the side of the counter, climbs through the hole at the bottom cabinet, bites into the bag of chocolate chips and drags them back to you."

Her teammates looked shocked, she simply nodded.

"And then there's the attack command. Which of course means he scuttles out of my room, down the stairs, into the waiting room, and starts biting and scratching some evil-lady-who's-trying-to-gain-daddy's-interest, ankle, which ultimately causes her to run out of the house screaming about demon rats and how she's never coming back again. That was last year, haven't heard a word from her at all.

Or the break the neighbor's cable wire command. This _may_," she emphasized the 'may'. "Cause Leroy to scuttle the few miles down the street to my evil cousin's house, and his equally evil step-mother, where he then proceeds to climb the telephone pole, using the lines for a tight rope, and chews all the wires from the satellite dish causing approximately $2755 of damage and travel fee, for the man to come all the way out to the house. Then he _might_, climb down and scuttle back home." She put on an innocent look. "Of course, this is all hypothetical. I would never do that to someone who holds a certain amount of my feelings. Specifically the ones centered around anger and hatred."

She nodded and her teammates continued to stare. "He's the greatest thing, honest. His cage is in daddy's office. Right on top of his 'radio'," and here she made quotation marks with her fingers. "Which is really his police scanner. That he thinks he can hide by calling it a clock radio."

"Oh my gosh. You are _so_ evil," Kendra said in disbelief. Takeshi and Randy looked like they wanted to agree. Cam looked ecstatic.

"That is the greatest! Oh man, can your dad program me one?" he asked. Lyra shrugged.

"I don't think he's doing the experiments anymore. Leroy was the only one I believe. He said something about it being out of control, you know, attacking unarmed ladies and all." Lyra nodded to herself.

Cam and Takeshi cracked up at that, while Randy and Kendra simply looked amused. Lyra smiled.

"Andrey, about how much longer?"

"Half an hour mistress."

"Alright then. Thank you."

"Not a problem mistress."

Lyra sighed. "Well, any other ideas? I still wish I could annoy my dad."

"I don't know... what is there to do?" Kendra asked. The group sat there for a few moments, thinking of ideas.

"Well," Takeshi started. "What about a..." he trailed off, hesitating to say what he wanted.

"A what?" Cam asked.

"A guessing game?"

"A guessing game?" Kendra asked her best friend since diapers.

"Yeah, like 'I Spy' or something. I mean, it's old for sure, but it will pass the time."

His teammates considered it.

"I... suppose..." Lyra started. The rest of the group looked at her and she shrugged. "What? Yeah it's old, but like Takeshi said, it'll help pass the time."

Randy and Kendra nodded in consideration. Cam shrugged.

"I guess."

They sat there for a few moments.

"Who's going first?"

"I will," Takeshi said with a sigh. "Um... I Spy... with my little eye... hmm...something red. Go."

Lyra, Kendra, Cam, and Randy looked around the room.

"Uh... the pen," Kendra guessed. Takeshi shook his head negatively.

"Lyra's eyes," Cam guessed. Takeshi gave him a weird look, but shook his head again.

"The exit sign," Randy guessed. Another shake.

"Puh-lease! This is so easy," Lyra said, rolling her eyes. "It's the popcorn machine. Am I right?"

Takeshi stared at her for a second before slowly nodding.

"How-"

"Come on, your favorite pastime is eating, what else would it be but something that relates to food?" Lyra asked, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "And seeing how the popcorn machine is the only visible food-related red thing in this room, well, that made it kinda obvious." The group accepted this statement and continued.

"Alright," Lyra started, taking a quick look around the room. "Hmm... I Spy, with my little eye, something white."

Kendra went first. "Interior walls." Lyra shook her head no.

Takeshi was next. "Clouds." Another head shake.

Randy rolled his eyes. "Is it the airplane wing?" Lyra smiled and nodded.

"Actually, yes. It is. You're turn."

"Okay. I Spy, with my little eye," he scrunched his nose a bit at the childish saying, but continued none-the-less. "Something green."

Cam slammed his hand on his armrest. "The X-Box logo."

Randy stared at the bigger boy in surprise. "Okay, how did you guess that so fast?"

Cam shrugged. "That's what I was going to use, I just thought I'd try it. So, me next!" He smirked, scanning the room. "Kay, kay. I Spy, with my little eye, something black."

"Oh, the chairs," Lyra said with a small nod.

"Nope!"

"The X-Box?" Takeshi asked hesitantly.

"No, like I'd use that after last time."

Takeshi shrugged. "Just checking, you never know."

"My hair," Randy said, raising an eyebrow as if asking a question. Cam shook his head and Randy shrugged.

"I know." Everyone turned to Kendra. "It's Brat, isn't it?"

Cam looked at his friend for a second before nodding. "'Tis the kitten."

Lyra petted the black cat that rested on her lap.

"My turn. I Spy, with my little eye, something blue."

"Um... Takeshi's hair?" Randy asked.

"Okay, why do you keep guessing hair? And no it isn't."

Cam smiled. "What about the blue streaks in my hair? Is it them?"

Kendra rolled her eyes. "No, it isn't anyone's hair!"

Lyra studied her face closely. "Are you sure? I mean, it could be my hair."

"It isn't hair!"

Takeshi sighed. "The sky?"

"Thank you! Yes, it is indeed the sky."

There was silence for a few moments.

"Okay, this isn't as entertaining as I thought it would be," Takeshi admitted. Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, basically," Kendra added to his statement.

"So, I think we should go back to the facts game. Life, family, whatever," Cam suggested.

"Sure."

"Yeah."

"Anything over this."

"I vote Lyra to go first, she has the most interesting family," Kendra volunteered the Russian girl. Lyra rolled her eyes.

"Arg, fine. I'll give you the run down of the tortures of being a Hiwatari." She looked around the room at each of her teammates before nodding sharply. "First of all, since I am the first female to have been born a Hiwatari in," here she paused to think, "eight generations I believe, when I get married I have to keep my name so that my first born child will also take the name. If it is female, the same terms apply to her as with me, if it is male, then he doesn't have to worry about it, because he'd keep his name upon marriage anyways."

"Now I go to an elite all-girl's private prep school a few towns away from the manor, as is mandatory of Hiwatari's; well, the boys go to an all-boys school. Like daddy did, except his was a boarding school too, mine isn't. Anyways, since daddy is a firm believer in normalcy (who'd a thunk?), I am still in the tenth grade, even though I had the opportunity to have graduated three years ago. He wanted me to be with peers my age. Um, as a Hiwatari, it is tradition for us to learn how to play four musical instruments: violin and piano are mandatory, and then the last two have to be a school instrument. Like, my dad chose percussions and saxophone. I play the percussions and flute. Anymore is optional, but my dad and I also play the guitar."

Lyra paused to take a breath. Her teammates were openly staring at her. "Anyways, then there are the languages. It is custom for Hiwatari's to know multiple languages fluently, as in read, write, speak, and understand _completely_. I don't know how many daddy knows, but I only know ten, um... Russian, obviously, Japanese, English, Chinese, Latin, Italian, German, Spanish, and French. Then there's sign language, but you really don't need to know how to read or write in that." Lyra nodded, agreeing with herself. "Yeah, while we Hiwatari's do tend to get spoiled and pampered, education is a very, very important aspect to uphold our social stature. Sometimes it sucks, but it's kinda cool in the end."

Her teammates continued to stare at her in a blank sort of stupor. Randy was the first to regain control.

"Well, I can't top that one."

There were three nods of agreement. "Ditto."

Lyra let out a breath and shrugged. "Well, what about you all? Anyone speak any other languages?"

"Well," Cam started. "I think it's safe to say that we all speak English, Japanese, Chinese, and Russian to a certain degree."

The group nodded in agreement. He continued.

"Me, personally, I know a bit of French and Spanish, you know, from school and all."

Takeshi shook his head. "Not me, just the safe four."

Randy considered the group for a moment. "Well, I know sign language pretty good. I babysat one of our neighbor's little girls back home frequently. She was deaf, so I learned quite a lot."

Lyra made a motion with her hands real quick. Randy motioned back and Lyra narrowed her eyes and nodded, as if they had just established a plan of sorts. They turned to Kendra, who looked between the two of them before shaking her head.

"Right, well, I speak the 'safe four' as Takeshi has dubbed them. And then, of course, any language that you can think of that has to do with computers."

Lyra raised an eyebrow. "Hacker?" Kendra gave her a look that clearly said 'are you stupid?'

"Duh," she replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Grey hat," she added slyly.

Lyra stared at the other girl for a few moments before laughing. "No way, you break the law? I never would have guessed you, of all people."

"Yeah, well don't assume so much, Captain," she said, giving the blue-haired girl a mock salute.

Cam leaned forward rubbing his hands together. "This is getting good."

Kendra's eyes widened slightly and she took a deep breath. "Yeah, well, you guys _cannot_ tell my parents. They'd put me under house arrest before I could blink. To top it off, they wouldn't even let me use a computer ever again."

"House arrest? Please, had that done so many times I've lost count. If that occurs, just do everything you could think of to annoy them and make them free you. Like, for instance, one time I triggered my dad's doors to his office and bedrooms so that they couldn't shut. Then I positioned all my box speakers in the hall and blared Spice Girls through the DVD player. He put up a good fight, but on the fifth time around he was pretty fed up," Lyra confessed. She nodded with a pensive look on her face. "I guess some people can only take so much British pop music before they loose it. Or it could have been... the little tidbit... on third time around... when I plugged in a microphone and started singing along... the worst that I possibly could."

She pretended to think it over before shrugging. Cam looked at her with wide eyes, faintly muttering something that sounded like 'poor guy'. Hey, he did have a female cousin who went through the whole 'Spice Girls phase'. Randy and Takeshi were laughing, and Kendra looked like she was considering the possibilities.

"Okay, so... anyone play any other sports besides beyblading?" Takeshi asked. "I mean, I used to play baseball when I was in elementary school and middle school. I don't really anymore, but hey. Oh, my dad taught me how to snow machine when I was younger, though I've never actually done it without him, my mom, Grampa, or Uncle Hiro there."

Randy shrugged. "Um, well, I play soccer. I, also, used to play football and baseball, but not too much anymore. We do have a sled that I ride sometimes, also. Without parental supervision," he added, looking pointedly at Takeshi who shrugged.

"Track. Other then that, just beyblading. Of course, both mom and dad taught me their techniques and stuff, but still, I guess it's good that I probably won't need to blade at all, I much prefer watching," Kendra admitted.

"Well, we all know that I adore extreme sports, which include, but aren't limited to: motocross, ATVing, sledding, skate boarding, snowboarding, and mountain biking. Then we have the mandatory martial arts training, as well as gymnastics. Being in Russia and all, I have played a bit of hockey, though not really in a league, just pick up games. I, also, used to play baseball when I was younger."

The group rolled their eyes at Lyra's excitement. Cam shrugged.

"Right, well, me, dad, and mom go skiing a lot. Not to mention dad was still pretty close to the All-Stars and their kids, so I've learned sports from them. At the moment the only sport that I play in a league is baseball, and I am pitcher. Thanks to Michael, I'm a damn good one, too."

"Sweetness," Takeshi commented. The rest of the team nodded in agreement before falling silent once again.

"Anything else?" Kendra wondered out loud.

"Well," Cam started. "Every summer we have a family reunion. We get relatives from different countries and stuff. It lasts a week, over at a park that we can rent out near us. It's basically one massive cookout/campout during the Fourth of July week. Each branch of the family always gets a different color to wear, only t-shirts though. Last year we had blue, I think this year we have green."

Cam shivered. "Two summers ago we had pink, and Skyler was the only one on our branch of the family who was excited about it."

The team laughed at his expense.

"Dude, I'm sorry," Takeshi finally sympathized once he had calmed down. Cam made a weird grunting noise before shrugging.

"I've done some therapy about it. I think I'm mostly set."

"Right."

Lyra looked around before nodding. "Well, me and my dad celebrate Jewish holidays and Catholic holidays. I'm of two religions, because Judaism is passed down through your mother, so since my mom was Jewish, I am too; but then my dad also had me baptized because he was Christian."

"So, what? You get like, twice the presents, or something like that? Oh, it's like the Rugrats!" Cam asked. Lyra shrugged.

"Something like that. I mean, I already get what ever I want, so it doesn't really matter, but hey, it's tradition."

Randy let out a deep breath. "Well, I can't think of anything at the moment."

"Naw," Takeshi agreed.

"Me either," Kendra added.

"We will be landing in a few minutes, Miss Hiwatari. If you would all fasten your lap belts." Andrey informed the group.

"Thank you Andrey," Lyra said curtly. She clipped the lap belt into place and leaned back in the chair. Her teammates mimicked her. Minutes later Lyra felt the plane touch down and let out a sigh.

_What will happen now? What are we going to have to do? I mean, daddy always mentioned the bladers that challenged them, way back when the water was clean. Will we have anyone like that? Who can I annoy to death? Not Kendra, she's my only female companion, I might need her help sometime. Not Randy, he's too cute and sweet._

Lyra froze when she thought this, shooting a quick glance to the Chinese blader, who sat there peacefully, smiling down at Brat, who had made her way over to him. He was once again playing with her like he had in the limo.

_Well, it is true, I guess. _She shook her head. _Anyhow, that leaves Camryn and Takeshi. I guess I can just alternate between them, although daddy would definitely be a preferred target._

The door opened and Lyra unbuckled her belt, picking up her duffle bag and slinging it over her shoulder. Kendra handed her the backpack with her laptop and the five teens made their way off the plane.

For some odd reason Lyra couldn't shake the feeling that something weird was up. The airport was a small, rural one, quite far off into the country. Their plane was already at the end of the runway, she could see Andrey and Charles were seen working on the outside.

Probably checking over stuff and refueling reflected Lyra. It wasn't too long a trip; hardly two hours. She shrugged. Were they even in a different country?

"It seems strange," Randy said from beside her. She looked at him, duffle bag slung over one shoulder, Brat clinging to the other.

"What does?"

"I don't know. After I got off the plane I just felt like something was off. Gut instinct. It's usually right. And where are we? Russia? China? Where?"

Lyra shrugged. "Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing." She nodded in front of them to the three older teens. "They don't notice anything, I don't think." She saw the fly from the plane on the strap of her bag and she brushed it off. It flew over to Randy before landing on his bag.

Lyra shrugged again, and Randy snorted. "Probably not. They weren't brought up in the fighting arts. Well, Cam wasn't. I suppose Takeshi learned some Kendo growing up, seeing as both his Grampa and dad work at their dojo. Kendra might have learned a little, you know, from being best friend's with Takeshi all her life." The dark haired boy shook his head. "It's just not the same instinct that we have. Our training was on a more intense and deeper level then theirs was. I mean, you got private, professional fighters training you, and our village is centered around martial arts; we start learning young."

Lyra nodded in agreement, before looking over her shoulder. She shivered and turned back around, just in time to see a figure dart out of the trees off to the left and snatch Kendra before moving quickly back to the edge of the woods.

"What the?" She stopped and turned towards the figure, confused. He stood, ready to run, Kendra in a half-nelson with his other hand over her mouth.

The man, she was guessing on the gender, laughed. "Ah, the Jr. Bladebreakers." Cam and Takeshi made a move to get the man, Lyra and Randy just stood there, still confused.

"Uh, who are you?" Lyra asked.

"And what are you doing?" Randy added.

The youngest two bladers looked at each other in confusion before turning back to the kidnapper.

"This is all part of the set up. You have a long road ahead of you before the world championships. You're first task: follow this trail," here he pointed to a small hiking trail in the woods. "North-Northeast for five miles. Once you reach those five miles, you should find something. It may help you to see your friend alive again."

There was a strong gust of wind, which blew dirt and leaves into everyone's eyes. When it was clear they looked back to where the mysterious man was, only to find he had disappeared.

With Kendra.

"Oh my god," Takeshi wailed. "She's gonna die! They're going to kill her!"

Lyra hit him in the back of the head, shaking him out of his hysterics. "Who's gonna kill her?"

"Them, you heard him!" Cam said. Lyra and Randy shot each other a glance and shook their heads.

"No, didn't you hear him? He called it a set-up," Lyra pointed out.

"Yeah, which means that all we have to do is follow his instructions. I doubt they're really going to even hurt her. This is probably some rogue team trying to put us through a test or something," Randy elaborated.

"Yeah, daddy told me stories how stuff like this always happened to them, and there was never really anything to worry about."

"Yeah, my parents did too."

Takeshi and Cam calmed down and considered their words.

"Well, I guess so."

"Good," Randy said.

"And since I'm the Captain, I make the calls," Lyra stated. She gave a sharp nod, heading towards the trail.

"Lets go!"

Her teammates followed.

_Three hundred miles, ish, away:_

A big group sat around the table, staring at the wall sized plasma screen TV. It was a weird group, consisting of adults and children from many different countries.

Near the head of the table an old man with white hair and a bushy white moustache smiled.

The little fly cameras were amazing. Perfect audio and visual, not to mention they were easy to control and very inconspicuous. Not to mention their solar powered systems, perfect for working during the daytime, or in any kind of light.

Sure when the lights were out, the video didn't work, and the audio was choppy at best. But not too much would be happening at night.

At the very head of the table sat a blue haired Russian. He was smirking at the ease of which his daughter saw through the act. While their guesses weren't exactly right, it was close enough to make him proud.

"Right, well, a few months of studying and we can see if they're worthy of all the publicity that they're getting because of who their parents are."

The younger two were right. It was all a set-up. One that would eventually make it's way to public TV all over the world.

* * *

Man, I think it'd be so cool to actually know that many languages, and how to play all those instruments. I only know piano and guitar, and that's because of lessons. Then I know little Spanish and more French, though not fluent, though I suppose I'm not too bad in French. Too bad. And a tiny bit of sign language. Very little. 

Anyways, the next few chapters sorta sidetrack from the original intent, but we'll get back on track after. Oh, this is the part I was waiting to get to. Next chapter should be out sooner then this one, though that really isn't saying much, I guess. It'll be good, trust me.


	9. Settling In

DISCLAIMER: Let me assure you, I don't own any of this (except for my characters, so I actually do own a bit of it). But, beyblade plot and copyrights and trademarks, and any other shenanigan that you can think up, I do not own.

Anyhow... I've been waiting for this part of the story since I started it. I'm so excited.

* * *

The four bladers made their way along the trail. Lyra and Randy were leading the way, using Cam's Boy Scout compass to lead them in the right direction. Takeshi was breathing heavily, slowly lagging behind the youngest two in the group. Cam was considerate enough to drop back and walk with him, with slightly less trouble. 

It was well into the afternoon, judging by the sun's position, and everyone was getting hungry and thirsty.

"Are... we... there... yet?" Takeshi gasped, struggling to keep a steady pace.

"We should be pretty close, I mean, we've been walking five or so hours. Probably would have been able to walk faster if someone was in shape," Randy said, nonchalantly.

"Hey... exercise... isn't my... thing..." Takeshi defended himself.

"Yeah, well, we're gonna make it your thing by the time the world tournament comes along," Lyra promised. There was an undertone of a threat there. "If you can't at least keep up without having some sort of asthma attack, then I will enlist the help of my dad to shape you up quickly. And trust me when I say he can, and will, do so."

The trail opened up into a hilled meadow. The team stopped to survey the scenery, with the exception of Takeshi who immediately doubled over and tried to catch his breath. Nudging his captain, Randy nodded towards a gardeners shed straight ahead when she looked at him.

Lyra's gaze followed her friends and she read the spray painted shed.

_'ENTER'_

"Well, it doesn't get more obvious then that," Cam said, shaking his head. Waiting a couple minutes for Takeshi to catch his breath, they then all made their way over to the shed.

Randy undid the latch and him and Lyra worked to push open the door. That done they walked in.

"Huh? It's just a Gardner's shed," Cam said, looking around the dark room. It had that musky dirt smell that was typically encountered with sheds such as these.

There were tables set along each wall, all with different things that a gardener or lawn keeper would have. Sheers, pots, soil. A leaf blower was hanging on the far wall, right above a dirty, cracked mirror.

Takeshi nodded to an out of place manila folder on one of the tables.

"Maybe that thing can help," he suggested, moving to pick it up. He read the small, typed note that was sticking to the front.

_'Bladebreakers Jr...  
If you walk west from here you will come upon a school. Within this folder you will find four transcripts, one of which has been modified. Get ready and then take these to the school. They are expecting four new students.'_

"WHAT? They're trying to make us go to school?" Cam objected. "That's not right."

"Wait a minute... modified? Why would they need to modify one?" Randy asked. Takeshi shrugged and flipped open the folder.

"The first one is mine, Takeshi Granger. Second is Camryn Tate. Randy Kon, you're the third one. And the last one is Ly-" the bluenette trailed off, paling at the last paper.

"Mine?" Lyra asked. "Why's mine modified?"

"U-um..." Takeshi gave the Russian girl a weary look. "It actually says Lyle... Lyle Hiwatari."

The following silence was brief.

"WHAT? WHY HAS MY NAME BEEN CHANGED TO A BOY'S?"

"Um... well actually... because you see..." Takeshi seemed unable to complete his sentence and Cam peered over his shoulder.

"It's, and I quote the slogan: 'The most elite, expensive, private all boys school in Russia'," he completed for the younger boy. "Kinda wordy, and not exactly appealing."

Takeshi gave a fearful nod before the second explosion.

"WHAT! I HAVE TO PRETEND TO BE A BOY? WHAT FOR? WHAT WILL THIS DO TO HELP OUR CAUSE?"

"Maybe this is one big test for us," Randy suggested.

"OH, YOU CAN BET WHOEVER THOUGHT THIS UP IS GONNA HAVE A RABID FERRET ON THEIR HANDS!"

At the mention of Leroy the boys each flinched. They continued to let her rant, and action that lasted for nearly a half hour.

"Now what?" Lyra asked once she had calmed down.

"Well..." Cam started, not liking the obvious task that had been laid down for them. "We sorta, hafta... cut your hair. I mean, if you're gonna look like a boy and all."

"NO WAY! YOU'RE NOT GETTING NEAR MY HAIR!"

While she continued her yelling fit, Takeshi made an inconspicuous movement towards her bag, which was resting next to the door with the rest of the luggage. Inside he retrieved her duct tape and quickly rejoined Cam and Randy, who were trying to once again calm the girl down.

"Psst... we need to get her tied up... or... contained somehow," Takeshi whispered to his friends, showing them the duct tape without Lyra noticing.

"Drugged," Cam muttered right back. Squaring his shoulders he inched forwards toward their team captain.

Lyra stepped back, moving out of the bigger teen's reach.

"It's alright, I mean, come on! It'll grow back eventually."

This wasn't what Lyra wanted to hear.

"One step closer and you'll regret it, bud," She all but growled.

Cam hesitated for a moment before taking another step forward. The result was instantaneous. Lyra aimed a fast, hard kick to his groin before shoving the older boy away from her. Cam stumbled backwards and fell to the floor, where he promptly curled up in a ball and started whimpering.

Takeshi and Randy both jumped back a step.

"Who's next?"

Takeshi and Randy shared a terrified glance before Randy shoved Takeshi forward who, with that action, dropped the roll of duct tape on the floor. The Japanese blader gave a betrayed look towards the Chinese blader, who just shrugged, before taking a breath and turning back towards the Russian.

"Easy there..." he started, holding his hands up in a sign of peace. "It okay... we're just trying to do what we have to..." there was a notable tremor in his voice as Lyra's eyes narrowed. "And you know...PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T HURT ME!"

But alas, it was too late as Lyra threw a left hook at the boy. With the force of the blow Takeshi was hurled backwards, landing right near Cam, who was still in the fetal position. Takeshi held his jaw, as he tasted the blood in his mouth.

Randy used this moment to lunge forward, tackling the blue haired girl to the ground. Flipping her over he reached for the duct tape as quickly as he could with his moment of surprise. He succeeded in binding Lyra's hands behind her back and tying her lower legs together before jumping back out of the girl's range of motion.

"GYAA, I'LL GET YOU FOR THAT. JUST WAIT UNTIL I'M FREE. YOU'LL NEVER HAVE KIDS! NEVER!" At the moment it didn't matter if Lyra had a crush on him or not. Not all relationships are based around sex, after all.

Randy winced, knowing that she could very well be deadly serious. Takeshi joined him, supporting Cam who was still visibly winded.

"Now what?" Cam asked, his voice a few octaves higher. Randy gave him a sympathetic look.

"Now we need something that can be used to cut her hair," Takeshi said, hiding the pain in his jaw. He threw a quick look around the room. "That switch knife could work." He nodded towards a small knife next to some clay pots.

Cam pulled away from the smaller boy and managed to make his way, albeit painfully, over towards the knife. Randy moved to get a metal chair, which was folded up and leaning against the wall. He moved it to sit in front of the mirror.

With the help of Takeshi, they both managed to transfer the still screaming Lyra from face down on the floor to sitting upright in the chair. Takeshi then retrieved the duct tape for his next cause.

Minutes later both of Lyra's legs were bound to the chair's legs and her chest was completely bound to the back of the chair. Takeshi had even managed to get a piece over her mouth. Cam stepped forward with the knife.

"Now, this may hurt a bit, and I can't really say that I'd be sorry if it did... but, I thought I'd give you fair warning."

Lyra glared and jerked her head away when Cam moved the blade towards it. He gave a frustrated sigh. "You know, the more you do that the more uneven you're hair will be when it's done."

Lyra stilled only slightly, shooting a death glare at him through the mirror. It was a slow, and painful job, but after twenty agonizing minutes it was finally done, and Lyra reluctantly admitted to herself that it hadn't come out too bad. She paused for a moment to study herself.

Realizing something she huffed.

Takeshi pulled off the tape from her mouth, causing the captain to yelp.

"Gah- no fair!" Lyra wailed with a pout. Her three remaining teammates traded confused glances. "I look better as a guy then I did a girl," she continued.

The revelation shocked the boys into silence, even more so then before.

"You're all gonna pay for this. Even if it's the last thing I do."

Reluctantly Cam started cutting the tape that bound their captain to the chair, tossing the used tape in a pile on the floor. Done he skipped back a few steps, out of the girl's reach. Randy and Takeshi did the same.

Lyra slowly got to her feet, turning around and glaring at her team. "In due time. I promise you that."

The boys relaxed, knowing they were off the hook for the moment.

"Um... well, actually, before we can go we have one more problem to deal with," Takeshi started, before a death glare halted his flow of words. He slowly continued, stuttering, "U-um, you-you see... t-the problem is yo-your..." he fell silent for a moment before blushing. "Your... c-chest."

After the bomb dropped there was silence. You would have been able to hear a pin drop.

"Give me your jacket."

"Uh, you see- wait, what?"

"Give me your jacket. If I zip it up it will take care of the problem for now. We can deal with it tomorrow."

Clumsily Takeshi removed his windbreaker and handed it to her. She slipped it on and zipped it up. The assumption was right; the windbreaker was loose enough to hide her chest from view. Shaking her head she sighed.

"Let's just go, alright?" She shook her head, her hair not weighed down any longer. _It is a rather nice experience_, she thought, _I must have lost about ten pounds with my hair gone._ She glanced back at the pile of hair next to the pile of duct tape.

With another sigh she picked up her bags and jogged to catch up with her team, who were already making their way west, once again using Cam's compass as a guide.

"You know, my hair has never been this short in my life. Not that I remember anyway. It feels weird."

"You'll get used to it in a few days. That's how long it took my mom to," Cam assured her. "But she didn't like it that much, so she let it grow back out."

"Joy."

_Few hundred miles away, in a big mansion in the woods:_

Kai sat at the head of the table. He was smirking as he watched his daughter beat on her teammates as they tried to cut her hair. _Thatta girl. I taught you well._

He scowled as he watched Randy tackle her down. Turning he glared at Ray, who gave him a small, sheepish smile. "Sorry," he mouthed.

Kai gave him a glare that clearly said, "You better be."

The comment on her appearance was met with scattered laughter. Kai shook his head and rested it in his hands.

These next two months would be very long.

_Back with the Bladebreakers JR:_

The walk was considerably shorter. After twenty minutes they reached a large building. There was a smaller, square building lined with windows in front. There was a vinyl sticker on the door that read _'Administrations Office'_

"Well, that's good to know," Cam said. The quartet made their way into the building. Randy swung the door open, holding it for Lyra. It didn't help change her mood. She shoved by him, almost knocking him over.

"Ah, you must be the transfers. It's good to finally have you here," said the secretary. She was a nice looking lady with red hair and brown eyes.

"Yeah, whatever," Lyra said darkly as she snatched the folder from Takeshi, tearing the note from the outer flap.

"All right, everything seems to be in order. Um, there was a minor problem that can be fixed immediately, and that is the topic of rooms. All of our rooms are set for three people, but due to special circumstances mentioned over the phone, you have the choice," she started. "Um all four of you could fit into one room or one of you can bunk in with two more students."

Lyra sighed, looking over the group. "We'll stay together. It'll make my revenge easier," she said nonchalantly. Each of the boys gulped, taking a step back from the Russian blader.

The secretary gave her an odd look before nodding her head. "Alright then. Your room is number 38, it's on the first floor and if you just walk through these doors here," she pointed to a set of double doors that were connected to the dorm building. "Take a left and it'll be at the end, on the right."

Lyra gave her a curt nod before following her directions. In five minutes they were at their destination. Lyra pushed open the door and stepped into the room, surveying it.

Immediately to the right there was a white bathroom, complete with a sink, toilet and glassed in corner shower. Straight ahead was another door, which lead to a small kitchen, complete with a mini refrigerator and freezer. There was a square table leaning against one of the walls, and the orange countertop complimented the tan walls.

Before the kitchen the left side opened up into a living room, with a couch, two armchairs, and a coffee table. There was a TV with a DVD/VCR player and cable TV. On the right, just before the kitchen, there was a door, which opened to reveal a rather large room with three queen-sized beds.

"Damn, this is like an apartment. A fully loaded apartment."

Lyra snorted at Cam's comment. "This is what being rich gets you. Who says money can't buy everything?"

"Man, if all schools were like this, I wouldn't hate going to them so much," Takeshi commented. Lyra chuckled.

"Wait until classes start tomorrow, then you'll change your mind real fast. Think of it, this school is so prestigious that the teachers here are qualified to teach at Universities. I know it's the counterpart to my normal school."

"Okay... so the classes are hard then?" Cam asked.

"That's the understatement of the century. Your 'public school's' advanced placement classes are _our_ lower level classes." Lyra shook her head. "And you think you have it hard, be grateful you have me or you would have already flunked out. And we haven't even started yet!"

This was met with silence. "So it's safe to presume that we're in deep?"

"Since you've been attending public schools, you have a major drawback being thrown into this kind of school. I however will have no problem. Like I said, I could have graduated from these schools years ago." Lyra's tone was smug. "Oh, and I get the living room. Thank you."

With that she flopped onto the couch, which was wide and comfy, before taking Brat from her bag and petting her.

"But, then you have run of the TV and stuff."

"Yes, that is the point. Besides, I can't share a room with two boys, daddy would kill me. Henceforth, the three boys will be sharing the room. Have fun killing each other for the beds. I suggest the ones closer to the heater, seeing as a Russian winter is right around the corner."

The boys looked at each other before racing towards the room. One bed was right next to the heater, another was right next to the window. The third was in between the two. Cam beat Takeshi to the one next to the heater. Randy skipped that and went straight to the middle one, securing it for himself. As a result Takeshi got shafted to the window bed.

In the living room Lyra chuckled to herself, petting Brat. _Oh those poor boys. They just don't know what they've gotten themselves into. Poor, poor boys._

Lyra second-guessed herself. Maybe she shouldn't help them with their schoolwork. It would be a good start for her payback.

_Yeah, make 'em beg._

With this thought she sat back and smirked. Oh they would so regret cutting her hair. _Best of all, I'll get to snub them with my perfect assignments. Hah, how I love life._

"Yes Brat, they will regret the day they crossed me. I'm not a Hiwatari for nothing."

There was a knock at the door. Lyra, being the only one to hear it, opened it.

It was a janitor. "These just came in for you," he all but growled, shoving three rather big boxes at her. They were heavy enough that she would have dropped them if she hadn't been in top physical shape.

"Gee, thanks," Lyra said sarcastically, sneering at the rude custodian. Spinning around she kicked the door shut right in his face. "Asshole."

She managed to get the boxes into the living room before dropping them on the floor. _Who on earth knows we're here?_

The top two boxes read _'Tate, Kon, and Granger'_. The bottom box was labeled _'Hiwatari'_. She moved the first two to the bedroom, where the boys were already unpacking into the large closet. They all had claimed shelves and closet space, but were kind enough to give her one of the three dressers, two of which was shared between the three.

"Here, Merry Christmas. Enjoy."

She tossed the boxes on the closest bed to her, Takeshi's.

Retreating to the living room she opened her own box. Inside there was a puffy, fluffy pillow, with a navy blue case, two thick comforters, one indigo, one blue-violet, and a fleece blanket with a red/orange phoenix on it.

"Well," she muttered to herself. "This is suspiciously convenient." She moved to the bedroom to see if the boxes were all the same.

Randy had a white cased pillow and a bright red comforter. His fleece blanket had a white/neon green tiger on it. Camryn's pillow was black with a green comforter and a fleece blanket with a purple-black turtle on it. Takeshi had a red pillowcase with a blue comforter and a fleece blanket with a neon blue-black dragon.

"Hah, I got one more comforter then you," Lyra said.

"What-ev. This actually works. I mean, what were we going to use?" Cam replied.

"Odd how these things just happen, isn't it?" Randy asked. Takeshi nodded in agreement.

"Only to us," Lyra corrected.

"Can't say I object at the moment. I'm beat," Cam commented.

"Dude, it's hardly eight," Randy said.

"Yeah, but we were walking just about all day," Takeshi defended.

"I suppose," Lyra said hesitantly.

"Besides, school tomorrow! I'll need my rest for _that_."

"You two just need to get in shape," Randy objected. "But I also agree, it has been a long day."

Lyra sighed once again. "I suppose. Classes start at eight, so you can either take a shower tonight, or take one in the morning when you wake up. I call tonight."

"Me too, "Randy said. "So you two can be stuck in the morning."

"Why not now? Why can't we all take it tonight?" Takeshi asked confused.

Lyra was already shaking her head. "Nope, two and two. Easier, quicker, not to mention you don't have that reprocessed bathroom feeling when you go in right after someone else."

Cam and Takeshi nodded in defeat.

"Alright."

"Fine. Night."

They disappeared into the bedroom and Randy sat at the other end of the couch. There was silence for a few moments.

"This is more comfortable then my bed. Can we switch?"

Lyra shook her head, smiling sweetly. "Nope. No can do. Not to mention, there isn't much of a heater out here. You've never experienced a Russian winter, I have, and as such, I am the best choice to 'rough it'."

"Right."

Lyra handed him the remote. "I'll take my shower first."

She fished through her bag and took out her showering stuff as well as some clothes for bed before bouncing over to the bathroom. Randy shook his head before channel surfing. Ten minutes later Lyra returned sporting a pair of red plaid boxer shorts and an over-sized black short-sleeved t-shirt. her hair combed and already drying.

"I never knew that having short hair would be like this. I mean, look, it's almost dry already! Not to mention that it didn't take me ten minutes to work in the shampoo and rinse it, then another ten for the conditioner. Two minutes, maybe, for both of them together. It's so amazing. Not only that, but I can now comb it without first brushing it. I can actually run a comb through my hair while it's wet. I've never been able to do that before."

Randy snorted at her excitement. "So do you forgive us?" he asked, hopeful.

"Not a chance."

_Darn! Well, it was worth a try, _He thought to himself. "Piece of advice?" he offered. Lyra nodded.

"Sure."

"Don't fall asleep with it wet, or you'll wake up with it everywhere. You didn't really have that problem before, but you will now, trust me."

Lyra took a minute to think this over.

"Point taken. Now go shower, you smell."

Lyra shoved him away from her before getting comfortable and taking over the remote. Randy shook his head before obeying her orders. He returned briefly before saying good night.

Lyra shut off the TV, snuggling back into the couch, comforter wrapped around her. Tomorrow would be hysterical.

"Well Brat, I'll need my energy if I'm gonna be holding in all my laughter. I know it's early, but lets go to sleep."

In the darkness she felt her kitten move next to her head.

"Tomorrow will be _very_ amusing Brat, trust me. But you have to be on your best behavior."

There was a faint mew from the feline.

"Night."

Lyra fell asleep to the sounds of the kitten's purrs.

* * *

Ah-ha! I told you that would be quick, and they will be for the next few chapters (just because I already know what I want to happen). I'll try to update at least once more before school starts next month, but no promises. 


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